The Marauders - Remus Lupin and Sirius Black
by Hailie Drescher
Summary: This is the story of the Marauders told from the perspective of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. This story will alternate between each perspective, each week, starting with Remus. This story starts when each young hero receives his Hogwarts letter and continues on, at least, through their seven years at Hogwarts.
1. Remus' Letter

***Disclaimer*** **This story is my interpretation of what I believe these young heroes were like in their youth. I have, through research, attempted to maintain as much canon fact as I can.**

 _*note* This is my first fanfiction, so when reviewing keep this in mind xD But I do welcome any critisism. I hope you enjoy reading!_

Remus hadn't always been different, he hadn't always had the scars across his face. But that had been a long time ago, or so it seemed to 10-year-old Remus. The young child awoke a fortnight before his eleventh birthday and just lay in bed staring up at the drab and yellowing ceiling above him. They hadn't been in this place long but forgetting about his promise to himself not to make a place feel like somewhere they could stay permanently - Remus had started to feel that way./span/p

However, that was not what young Remus was thinking about now. No, what was on his mind was that he was nearly 11-years-old, the age most magical children started to get excited about going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In Remus' case, no such excitement filled his mind because as far as Remus knew he would not be going. From everything he had read, been told and heard in the various towns the small family had lived in over the years, letters would go out sometime in July or early August. Remus didn't expect to get one because Remus… was a werewolf./span/p

He had been bitten at 5-years-old because his father Lyall, a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, had insulted a werewolf by the name of Fenrir Greyback (not that Remus knew the identity of his attacker). While his father had saved him from being killed by reaching him in time, he could not stop the fact that Remus was forever changed. That he would forever be doomed to transform into a fully-fledged werewolf at the full moon./span/p

So that was why Remus never expected the visitor the family would get while they sat around the small breakfast table./span/p

As it was by the time Remus was nearly through his bacon and eggs, the bacon being less cooked through than most people would eat, he did not expect the sharp rapping at the door

"Now who could that be?" His father, Lyall, questioned as he got up from the table to go answer the door

Remus, who had just about finished eating, leant backwards in his chair attempting to see around his father as he opened the door. He was talking in a low voice to someone just out of sight before he stepped aside and allowed an older man, his beard and hair showing the signs of age while still retaining some of its auburn colour, enter the small home

This man was dressed just as Remus had come to expect of most witches and wizards and had a maroon cloak fastened around his neck. He wore half-moon, wire-rimmed spectacles upon a crooked nose that looked like it had once been broken and his face was just starting to show the signs of age as Lyall closed the door firmly and beckoned for Remus and Hope, his mother, to join them in the small sitting room.

Once everyone was seated, a fire lit in the grate and a game of gobstones started between Remus and the as of yet strange man, the man introduced himself.

"I would like to first wish you all a good and pleasant morning and to apologise for calling so early. I have an urgent meeting to attend to later in the day but this meeting is also very important to me and I wanted to devote the appropriate amount of time to it."

"My name, Remus, is Albus Dumbledore and I am Headmaster at Hogwarts."

Remus swallowed and replied in a quiet voice, "I've read about you and Hogwarts, Sir. It is good to meet you."

Dumbledore smiled and continued, "I am here, today, because of a letter I received not long ago stating that there was no need to send the usual acceptance letter once you turned eleven because you would not be attending Hogwarts."

Remus swallowed nervously, looking across at his parents but nodded, "Yes, Sir."

He was afraid that they were about to find out that they would have to move again, just as he had started settling in

Dumbledore continued, "Now, the reason I am here is because I know of your... unique condition and I wanted to personally assure you that it should not be a deciding factor in your decision to attend the school or not."

Remus simply stared at Dumbledore but Lyall spoke up, "But what of the danger he would pose to other children? I know Remus wouldn't want to put other children at risk during those times of the month when he is dangerous."

Remus had nodded his head in response to his father's statement, "Yes, I don't want to hurt anyone else, Sir. So how is it you believe that I can safely attend the school?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly at the young boy, "I am glad you asked, my boy. I'm glad you asked because I am here to tell you that we have made certain… arrangements in order to ensure you are not a danger to anyone."

"Arrangements? What sort of arrangements?" Lyall asked as Hope sat watching the exchange, looking silently hopeful for her son

Dumbledore laughed, "I'm glad you asked. The arrangements that have been made are thus, I have personally purchased a small parcel of land with an old house just outside of Hogsmeade. The house has been given every manner of protective enchantments inside and out and a special tunnel connecting it to the school grounds has been constructed. To ensure no student or staff member accidentally stumbles across you while you are transformed we have had a Whomping Willow planted above the entrance to the tunnel. Professor Sprout assures me that the growth potions and charms placed upon it should have it reach its full magnificence with plenty of time left to go before term starts for you. The procedure will be thus, The day of the first full moon when you will transform, you will present yourself to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey, our Matron, will bring you down to the tunnel that leads to the house."

Dumbledore paused to allow this plan to sink into the small families minds. Remus was already starting to feel excitement for the first time in his young life. He was going to be able to go attend Hogwarts like his father before him!

After a few moments of silence, Hope spoke up in her quiet voice, something Remus had in common with her, "So the staff would know of Remus'... condition?"

Dumbledore smiled across at the women, "Yes, staff would be made aware. However, and I believe we can all agree on this, such knowledge would not be publicly known. If anyone is to ask questions Remus will simply say that he is ill."

He then turned to Remus, "Do you understand the plan, Remus?"

"Remus, excited though he was, ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, "Yeah, I understand. Tell no one, report to the hospital wing on the day of the full moon and keep my head down."

Dumbledore smiled at him before clasping his hands together and pulling a letter from the folds of his robes, handing it to Remus, "Since your birthday is approaching soon, I shall leave this prematurely and tell you that Hogwarts looks forward to your owl. Alas, now I must bid you adieu - I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts, Remus."

With that, he pulled from the depths of his cloak a thick envelope with Remus' name upon it. And then with a brief kiss to Hope's hand and a hearty handshake to Lyall in passing, Dumbledore exited the small house and was gone before his cloak had time to do more than swish.

Remus just stared for the first couple of minutes off into space, still sitting in front of the gobstones board. When his parents came back into the room Lyall crouched down to his sons level.

"Remus? Are you alright?"

Remus was running his hands over the letter, his letter. And it was a moment before he said anything but an ear-to-ear smile soon spread across his peaky looking face. "I am brilliant! Fabulous! Couldn't be happier! Dad! I get to go to Hogwarts!"

He pumped a fist in the air before looking hurridly from one parent to the other. "Can we go to Diagon Alley soon? Today?"

Lyall looked at his wife, who smiled, then back at his son. "Soon, Remus. Soon! Trips like this need to be planned after all!"

Remus fidgeted in his seat, still clutching the letter as if afraid someone was going to rip it from his hands and laugh at his excitement about going to Hogwarts. Lyall chuckled at this, "Well. Are you going to open your letter or just hold onto it?"

Remus blushed, the tips of his ears going red, and flipped the letter over to the wax seal - staring at it for a moment before slitting it open carefully and pulling out the letter and supply list contained therein.

The little family spent the rest of the day relaxing by the cosy fire, Remus occasionally re-reading his coveted letter so much that Hope had to soon tuck the supply list away for safe keeping so that his constant unfolding would not tear it.

Remus was happier on this day then he had ever been in his life


	2. Sirius' Letter - Finally

Pureblood families, and by that I mean those of completely pure wizarding blood were dwindling in the wizarding world. The wizarding race was a dying breed and in order to stave off the abyss, most families married outside the dwindling pureblood witches and wizards that were left - and those that despised such an idea simply ignored muggles, muggle-born and squibs in their family trees.

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was no exception. In all of Britan, it was one of the oldest (and wealthiest) left. As can be expected many wizarding families are connected to the Blacks who could trace ancestry all the way back to the middle ages. They are one of the families who, by the twentieth century, were no different from other pureblood families in marrying outside the dwindling supply of pureblood witches and wizards - they simply refused to admit it.

Their family motto ' _Toujour Our'_ or 'Always Pure" was burned into the mind of every family member and Sirius Black was no exception - as much as he hated to admit it.

Sirius was one of very few in his family that despised his families pureblood mania views. He hated that they were okay with the dark arts and how they looked down upon everything and everyone in society that was anything but a pure wizard. It was a fact he rarely hid and was determined to excise his difference from the family - to the displeasure of both his parents and younger brother.

The, now, 11-year-old Sirius Black rolled over that morning with a low moan as he heard the raspy voice of the families house elf Kreacher.

"Master Sirius, Master Sirius. Breakfast is served, sir." The older elf rasped with a low bow.

Turning his head to the side from his position laying on his back Sirius stared at the still bowing house elf before letting out a sigh, "Great...thanks Kretcher, you can go now…"

With that, the house elf stood up straight, "Yes, sire" and marched himself from the rather messy room.

Sirius meanwhile turned to roll back over, intending on catching a couple extra winks before hauling himself downstairs to breakfast. His brother Regulus, however, had other ideas as there was suddenly a sharp rap on the, now, closed door.

Letting out a growl of frustration Sirius snapped, "What is it?"

Regulus slowly pushed his way into his elder brothers room, already fully clothed in his typical day robes to see his brother lying sprawled across his bed in nought but a pair of muggle boxers. Regulus fought not to roll his eyes as he tapped the door frame with his finger, "You gonna lay in bed all day?"

Sirius stared unblinkingly at his brother before replying in a snarky tone, "So what if I was?"

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He eyed his brother's current attire, "Better not let Mum catch you wearing those muggle clothes."

It was Sirius' turn to roll his eyes, "Well I'd sleep naked but certain people and creatures are always barging in on me. But if you insist."

Here he made to yank the boxers down, grasping at the hips, making Regulus slap a hand across his eyes, "Oi! Fine do what you want I'm going, I'm going."

With that Regulus slammed the bedroom door shut and Sirius could hear his departing footsteps on the stairs as he went down to breakfast.

Meanwhile, Sirius had rolled over to stare at the ceiling - the handsome chandelier just off to the side of his bed. After trying and failing to fall back asleep now after so many interruptions Sirius decided to roll himself out of bed to dress. He tugged a pair of robes he collected from the floor, after giving them a sniff test and deeming them reasonably clean, emerging from the neck a bit tousle-haired but still good looking as per usual; something he didn't even have to try to achieve really.

Sweeping his hair off of his face, the length always causing some contention with his mother, Sirius sized the doorknob and wrenched it open before proceeding downstairs towards the kitchen.

Sirius entered the kitchen to find his brother, mother and father all fully dressed and being served breakfast by Kreacher. Slumping down into a seat next to Regulus Sirius yawned widely and obviously as Kreacher came hurrying over with his own breakfast and slid it onto the table.

"I do wish you would at least comb your hair before coming to breakfast, Sirius." His mother greeted him stiffly as she took a sip of her tea and eyed the long locks of her eldest son.

Sirius shrugged and dug into his bacon and eggs with gusto as his father, Orion, eyed him over the top of the Daily Prophet he was reading. In between bites after noticing the looks he was getting from both parents, not that he really got anything different normally, he sighed and addressed the elephant in the room. "It's not like anyone is coming to call this early, why should I bother making such a fuss? Beside's you got pretty boy Regulus over here." He threw his brother a slight smirk as he ruffled his brother's hair - easily ducking the retaliatory swipe Regulus made at him.

Walburga Black, his mother, sat up stiffly and had just opened her mouth to tell Sirius off when she was drowned out by the rush of wings as an owl flew in the small kitchen window and dropped a thick parchment envelope on top of the last of the breakfast Sirius had been about to eat.

Wrinkling his nose up Sirius dropped his fork and picked up the letter which had landed right in his remaining egg. Shaking the yolk from it, and splattering Regulus in the process with a smirk, He used his napkin to wipe the corner off before reading the front of it:

 _Mr Sirius Arcturus Black_

 _12 Grimmauld Place_

 _London, England_

"What is it?" Regulus asked, attempting to lean over to see the front of the envelope.

Sirius ignored him and flipped the thick envelope over to see the purple seal with the Hogwarts crest. Using a finger he broke the seal and pulled the first piece of paper out and read it before handing it across to his mother, dodging Regulus' outstretched hand, "Oh look, how surprising I've been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What a shocker." He rolled his eyes as he pulled the supply list out and perused it.

Walburga read through the acceptance letter and her face split into a rare smile, "Wonderful! We were beginning to wonder if they were ever going to accept you."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I mean… I turned 11 after the term had begun mother, really."

"Sirius! Apologise to your mother," Orion demanded as he tapped a finger against his paper.

It took everything he had not to roll his eyes but Sirius looked at his mother and after taking a deep breath staring square into her eyes he said, "Sorry, Mother."

Walburga stiffened but nodded, "You're forgiven. Now let us finish our breakfast, shall we? We have much to do before September first."

Sirius rolled his eyes, something that he was clever enough to hide from his family as his father disappeared back behind his Daily Prophet and his mother and brother dug into their plates of food.

Life in the Black household had never been what Sirius craved. The boy craved adventure, he craved life outside a family so steeped in pureblood mania and history that they thought everyone and everything beneath them.

Perhaps Hogwarts was his chance to break the mould, so to speak.


	3. Remus' Trip to Diagon alley

Of course, considering Remus' birthday was in March, the trip to Diagon Alley for supplies would have to wait till at least the conclusion of the current school year.

Meanwhile, the actual day of his eleventh birthday was a rather subdued affair owing to the fact that the first day of the full moon cycle landed on that day. As such he sadly spent his eleventh birthday locked up in the magically reinforced room his father had constructed for his transformations going through an agonizing and excruciatingly painful transformations form boy to a werewolf at night. During the day, when he would feel sick, shaky, and not particularly well overall, his mother Hope would care for him - though he rarely took food during these times of the month.

Once it was finally over by the weekend the small family had a bit of a proper celebration in the form of a particularly rare steak, that his parents would often save up for special occasions such as this, and special cake baked by his mother.

Lyall and Hope could not be more proud of their son for all he endured while still remaining cautiously optimistic about the renewed promise that he would attend Hogwarts after all.

Remus on the other hand, while he did project an optimistic attitude about the whole affair, was privately afraid about what could possibly go wrong. Prominent among his worries was the idea of not being liked, of being seen as not worthy due to the families status financially. Things an eleven-year-old boy really ought not to worry about, but things young Remus couldn't help thinking about - particularly when his parents provided him such an extravagant birthday meal.

But soon enough the day came in the third full week of July, after the monthly full moon and after Remus has recovered from his transformation, that the small family planned their outing to Diagon Alley. Even though the full moon had long passed for the month, the family opted to go on a day in the middle of the week when the streets were less crowded with excited eleven-year-olds, clamouring to get their new supplies for their first year at Hogwarts.

Remus was still more excited then he had been for anything in his entire life and could hardly stand still, hopping from foot to foot, as he watched his father tap the specific brick that would give then admittance to the shop-lined street beyond it (His mother Hope had opted to stay home saying that this was an event that he should share with his father).

Their first stop, of course, was Gringotts to pick up money to pay for the supplies Remus required. Like any excited 11-year-old Remus tried to lean over the edge of the speeding cart to try and see the bottom of the cavernous bank only for his father to pull him back by the collar of his robes.

Upon reaching their bank vault Remus watched as his father selected a carefully measured number of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts to pay for his school supplies. What surprised Remus was when he slapped a few coins into his hand, "For the train ride. Everyone needs at least a couple sweets on the way to school." He replied to Remus' confused look.

When Remus tried to push the money back at his father, the man shook his head. "Consider it an eleventh birthday present. A right of passage." The older man gave him a small smile before drawing the string closed on the pouch containing the rest of the money for his supplies.

Remus chewed his lip for a moment but slid the coins into his pocket as he followed his father outside the vault, determined to spend the money wisely.

A harrowing journey back to the main floor of the bank later and they were standing, blinking, in the sunlight outside the bank.

"Alright. So we may have to get a few of your things second hand of course but what's say we start by getting you new robes?" Lyall began, looking sideways at his son.

Remus nodded, he knew they would need to get some things second hand of course, but he was surprised when his father suggested they get him new robes. "I thought I was going to wear your old robes, dad?"

Lyall smiled, "I thought so too until they only ones I could still find were much too big for you just yet. Plus, we can afford new robes and a wand at least. We'll just have to buy your books second hand, and you can use my old cauldron and scales."

Remus nodded, understanding his father logic to a degree, and privately a little glad he could go to school in new school robes - it might make it a little easier to make friends.

So without another thought the father, son duo wandered down the street towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"Tell you what. Why don't you go on in and I'll go get your books. I should be back before you finish getting fitted."

With that Remus entered the shop alone.

Upon entering, the bell tinkling and announcing his entry, a Squat little witch shuffled out from behind a series of racks. "Ah! New Hogwarts student?"

Remus nodded.

"Good, good! Well come on back, young man. I've just finished up another young man now so I will be right back." The witch smiled at him.

Remus followed her behind the rack to find a three-way mirror and a small stool to stand on and be fitted. As he stepped up on the stool he felt a sudden awkwardness staring into the mirrors, the scars from his attack and condition reflected back at him. He turned away from his reflection just in time to hear the voice of a haughty woman echo through the racks.

"I still can't believe you opted to wear those muggle undergarments… how… ghastly."

A snort echoed from somewhere to the right of the woman's voice, "What's it matter what I wear under my robes, mum." A boys voice replied a note of obvious distaste for the woman's views in his retort.

"It's a matter of pride. It's embarrassing." She snapped back at her son.

Something about the way the boy replied made Remus feel as though he had rolled his eyes but he did not hear the response.

"We're going now. Wait till your father hears about your attitude." The woman snapped back before Remus heard the clicking of heels across the shop floor, the tinkle of the bell and his father's voice.

"Oh, excuse me."

"You're excused." The woman snapped before the sound of the door closing could be heard.

Just then Madam Malkin and his father came around the corner of the racking, a faint smile plastered on Lyall's face but he said nothing as Madam Malkin approached Remus with a set of robes.

"Well. Arms up then, son."

Remus raised his arms over his head and the robes were pulled over his head. "Who was that, dad?" He asked through the folds of material before his head emerged through the top.

His father smiled, "No one you need to be worried about, Remus. You just focus on being the best you-you can be and being _safe_." he emphasised the word 'safe' with a look at his son.

Madam Malkin must have taken the comment to refer to the regular dangers of attending Hogwarts because as she set a measuring tap measuring the length of his arms and legs she turned her head to look at Lyall. "Oh, Hogwarts is safe enough. I'm sure your boy will be fine, sir."

Lyall smiled, "Yes. I'm sure he will be. But you know, accidents happen in a building full of underaged wizards."

"True. True," she replied as she set about trimming the cuffs and hem of his robes.

Remus caught his fathers eye and nodded, "Yes, of course. I'll be careful, dad."

"Good lad." Madam Malkin replied offhandedly as she tugged the inside out robes up over his head and set about flipping them right side out before handing him back the robes to pull on.

He tugged them over his head and looked at his arms and spun partway to view the back.

"Well, go on. Turn around and look in the mirror."

Grimacing he reluctantly turned on the stool to look in the mirror at his new robes as the older witch because sweeping them off with a small brush. "Wonderful…" she mused but Remus couldn't help but catch her glancing at his scars. When he blushed faintly, however, she looked away.

"Yes. I think that's you done then. That'll be 2 Galleons 5 sickles and 12 knuts." She replied as Remus tugged the robes back up over his head and handed them to her to wrap up.

As his father paid for the purchase, Remus glanced out the window to see an older, haughty-looking woman striding past the window followed by a boy about his age, but taller, with scruffy black hair looking annoyed.

"Alright, Remus. Ready to go get your wand then?" His father was saying to him, breaking Remus out of his thoughts.

Remus tore his eyes away from the front window and smiled, "Absolutely!"

His father chuckled, "Best for last right?"

He scratched at the back of his neck, "Apparently so."

Again another chuckle escaped his father. "Well, let's hop to it then. Have a pleasant day Miss." He gave a jovial wave to Madam Malkin.

Remus smiled in her direction and also gave her a friendly wave, "Yes, thank you for the fitting!"

"You are most welcome, young man." She smiled at him as he turned his back and followed his father out of the shop.

By now, even in the middle of the week, the streets were starting to fill up with after work shoppers and so Remus and Lyall quickened their pace towards Ollivanders.

As they entered the small shop Remus immediately felt as if a silencing charm had been placed on him, he scarcely let out a breath for fear of disturbing the silence within. As they entered Lyall gave him a little push so he stumbled slightly as he moved forward. The echoing slap of his shoes against the wood floor causing the elderly Mr Ollivander to appear suddenly from down one of the long aisles stacks to the roof with wand boxes.

"Ah! Good day, good day. Here to buy your first wand?" he questioned, clasping his hands together as he approached.

Remus could do nothing more then nod his response, suddenly finding that he seemed to have lost his voice temporarily.

Mr Ollivander smiled kindly at him as he pulled a small tape measure from behind the counter, "Wonderful, yes wonderful. Right or left-handed?"

"Right." he replied, finally finding his voice."

Mr Ollivander nodded as he set the tape to begin measuring all sorts of odd things from the length of his arm to the distance around his head, as he disappeared down one of the aisles and began to pull boxes from the shelves, mumbling and muttering to himself on occasion.

Finally, as he came back around the corner of one set of shelves he waved a hand at the measuring tape, no measuring how long Remus' eyebrows were for some reason, and caused it to fall to the floor in a heap.

"Ash, Phoenix feather, 10 inches, pliable - give it a try.." He started as he handed Remus a wand, shorter and an odd sort of engraving at the handle.

Remus took the wand in his fingers, immediately feeling a sort of uncomfortable itching that he associated with the wand. After giving it a slight wave in the direction of a vase nearby he immediately jumped backwards as the vase exploded. Gingerly setting the wand back on the counter he turned to see another wand being held almost reverently out for him to take.

"Reed, Unicorn hair, ten and a quarter inches, supple…" Mr Ollivander replied watching him carefully.

Waving the wand produced no results and it felt as though someone else's arm had been attached to his own when holding it.

"Hmm… Try this… Ebony, Dragon Heartstring, ten inches, pliable…"

The moment Remus took this wand he felt repulsed and immediately set it back down on the counter without waving it as he shook his head in disgust.

Mr Ollivander chuckled, "No? Understandable, I wasn't certain about that one myself… Hmm, How about this one? Cypress and unicorn hair, ten and a quarter inches, pliable…"

This time as Remus reached for the offered wand he immediately felt a spark, a connection between him and the wand. It felt familiar and right. When he raised the wand over his head, bringing it down in one long swooping motion silver sparks shot out of it in celebration he supposed. The wand felt comfortable in his hand as he pulled his hand back up and ran a thumb over the smooth surface of the handle with a smile.

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" Mr Ollivander replied clapping excitedly.

Remus smiled, somewhat sheepishly as his father clapped him on the back. "Yes, wonderful. A right of passage, a milestone accomplished! How much do I owe you good sir?" He smiled at Mr Ollivander.

Ollivander's ear to ear grin shrank down to a soft smile. "11 Galleons, 6 sickles and… 13 knuts, please." He replied, calculating the total I'm his head.

Remus couldn't stop his eyes going wide for a fraction of a second. He knew wands could be costly, and rightly so, but it didn't stop him worrying about it. He really did worry a lot he reflected privately as his father handed over the money before clapping him on the shoulder again with a slight squeeze as he accepted his boxed want from Mr Ollivander with trembling hands.

"I think that's just about everything we need. Unless you wanted to browse anything else Remus?"

He shook his head, "No. I think I'm alright for this trip. Maybe next time."

He was consciously aware at the number of shoppers that had appeared outside the shop on the streets and was starting to feel a little self conscious about facing them.

His father must have sensed this because when he glanced sideways at him the man smiled softly and nodded. "Yes. Perhaps on another trip. Let's get home then you can take a look through your new school books before the year starts on September the first.

Remus nodded once again. Yes. It was going to be a whole new experience for him this year.

He was actually going to go to Hogwarts in mere months!


	4. Sirius' Trip to Diagon Alley

"Come on Sirius. I want to get the shopping done _before_ the rest of the rifraf crowds the shops. What's taking you so long-" Walburga called through the house as she made her way towards Sirius' bedroom, pushing her way in and stopping mid-sentence at the sight of her eldest son.

Having been hunting for a clean pair of robes amid the piles of clothing, perhaps he ought to put some of it away sometime he pondered, Sirius had been standing in the middle of his bedroom in nought but a pair of muggle boxer shorts he'd bought himself on one of his secret outings with his Uncle Alphard. The undergarments were not the only "unacceptable", in his parent's eyes, item in his bedroom but thankfully the other items were carefully hidden away in his bedside bureau drawer.

Staring at his mother he tucked a strand of his ridiculously good-looking hair behind his ear and cleared his throat, "May I help you, mother?" Sirius had never been exactly shy and even at eleven years old, well nearly twelve now, he was fairly tall and good looking.

It took a moment before Walburga shook her head as if to clear it, a sour expression as if she had just stepped in something nasty on her face. "Just what do you think you are wearing _those_ for?" she pointed at his lower half, unable to voice just what the article of clothing was apparently.

Sirius shrugged, finally spotting a clean set of robes, stashed on the back of a chair. "It's called underwear, mum." He replied nonchalantly as he tugged the robes over his head, emerging slightly tousle-haired but wearing a slight smirk on his face as he caught sight of the clock beside his bed.

No way she would insist he change now. Not and risk having to shop with those she deemed beneath her and her family. He watched her wrestle with this decision, eyes flashing around to the clock for a moment, before finally giving up - or so it appeared and shaking her head before turning on her heel. "Just, hurry up. I want to go get your supplies right quick."

Sirius shook his head as he heard her heeled shoes clicking away down the stairs even as he stuffed his feet into a pair of socks followed by a pair of trainers and followed her out of the door - making sure to close it snuggly, a small slip of paper wedged secretly in the door (a security measure to allow how him to know if Regulus had been in his bedroom).

By the time he got downstairs his mother was waiting, dressed in her most splendid robes - jewellery glinting at her neck and wrists.

"Well, it's about time! Get over here so we can apparate." She demanded impatiently.

Sirius rolled his eyes but ambled over to stand beside his mother before sliding his hand into hers and gripping tightly waiting for the sensation that came along with apparition.

A squeezing sensation that made his ears pop slightly and momentary darkness and they soon stood in front of the towering Gringotts bank, resplendent in white marble.

The moment they had arrived safely Sirius had dropped his mother's hand at the same time as she had begun to stride forward up the steps leading to the bank. She paused a moment to look back at him as he stared after her for a moment. "Well, hurry up Sirius. We have much to buy today."

He exhaled blowing the hair covering his face away from his eyes before quickly following his mother into the bank. If there was anything that excited him about his family, it was the harrowing, and breakneck journey down to the lower vaults where the Black Family vault, and many of the older families vaults, lay. Even as his mother sat, a handkerchief to her mouth and her eyes closed in the cart, he sat with his eyes alight with glee at the speeds the little Goblin run cart achieved. This was the most excitement and adventure that he had - had in his dull life - the trips to Gringotts bank.

When they finally slowed and came to a stop his mother finally opened her eyes, climbing gingerly from the cart even as Sirius hopped out eagerly and excitedly.

"Sirius! Stay close. Who knows what, or who lurks around the corners down here!" Walburga snapped at him even as he moved forward a few paces causing him to sulk back towards her.

"I wanna see the dragon, mum." He grumbled bitterly as he followed her and their Goblin guide towards the vault.

Before she could snap back the Goblin, wearing a smirk on his face, answered. "Just wait, young sir."

That was when they rounded the corner to find stark white, and obviously blind judging by the way it turned its head, dragon chained to the middle of the room. The Goblin was already pulling clankers from a box nearby. Sirius accepted one with relish, being morally opposed to what he knew the clankers meant to the beast, and his mother refused to touch the dirty device.

The Goblin shrugged and started shaking the clanker, Sirius followed suit, causing them to make a loud rattling and clanking noise that caused the Dragon to retreat away from the noise and for them to pass it towards the Black family vault unscathed.

Sirius watched the beast turn tail with a look of sympathy mixed with curiosity etched on his face. He quickly turned to follow after his mother and the Goblin, however, as they made their way towards the family vault.

As his mother openly filled a pouch with many coins, boasting openly about how her sons would get "only the best" for their years at school. Sirius leaned against the doorframe of the heavy vault door rolling his eyes at her snottiness. _How did he ever get born into a family with such tact? Or lack thereof._ It was enough to make him sick and he even mimed vomiting as she preened over a particular goblet in the vault talking about how it had been in their pureblooded family for generations - emphasising the word 'pureblooded'.

The Goblin caught his eye at this action but merely nodded and said in a gruff voice, "Yes, Madam. Shall we depart?"

"Yes, Yes. Let's get back in the infernal cart and get out of this place." She replied with a nod and a wave at Sirius. "Come, Sirius. We have shopping to do."

Sirius rolled his eyes behind her back but followed her out, glancing backwards only briefly to watch the vault door close on the families valuables.

A harrowing and, for Sirius, exciting trolly ride later and they stood blinking in the sunlight. A few shoppers had appeared in their absence down in the streets below - many of them obviously excited new Hogwarts students like Sirius picking up their school supplies.

"I think we will go and get you fitted for your school robes first," Walburga said, nose in the air as she descended the steps ahead of him leaving him hurrying to follow.

As they walked through the streets they passed a rather attractive looking blonde girl, her hair in ringlets, consulting a list with whom Sirius assumed was her father. The man was voicing his confusion as to where "Flourish and Blotts" was. Sirius had just opened his mouth to answer, a little keen to impress the girl perhaps when his mother tugged him onwards out of earshot of the father and daughter hissing in his ear.

"Really Sirius! Can't you tell mudbloods when you see them? Some are beneath you to associate with, you should know better!" She sniffed as they arrived at Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions.

Sirius had been about to say something back when she pushed the door open and they were greeted by the shopkeeper.

"Good morning! Hogwarts?" She asked them.

Walburga had plastered a smile on her face, "Yes! Of course! My eldest son, you know. First year this year!"

"Wonderful! Are you excited, young man?" the woman smiled at Sirius whose mouth twitched into a polite smile in return.

"Oh yes! I can't wait!" He replied politely, not saying what was truly on his mind about getting away from his family for the year.

"That is wonderful indeed! Well, follow me then and we'll get your robes sorted out."

Sirius followed her behind a rack of robes into a small sitting area with a tri-fold mirror, stepping up onto the small stool when Madam Malkin indicated he should.

"Arms up!" the squat witch announced as she pulled a tape measure from the pocket of her robes and began to measure him for a set of robes.

As he raised his arms, his chin for her to measure around his neck, he caught a glimpse of shoppers outside the window.

"My, my. You certainly are tall for eleven!" Madam Malkin remarked as she began flicking through a rack of uncut robes on a rack beside him.

"I'll be twelve in a few months actually-" He began as she handed him a robe to try on. As he pulled off his robe to tug the fresh one on to be fitted he caught a grimace from his mother.

Rolling his eyes as he emerged from the neck of the robes, Madam Malkin had already set to work trimming the excess off, he snorted softly. "Really, Mum. It's no big deal what I wear under my robes is it?"

She raised her chin in the air, "It's distasteful is what it is, Sirius."

He snorted louder this time, shaking his head and had been about to retort when Madam Malkin tapped him on the elbow with a cheerful, "That's you done, young sir," as the tinkle of the shop bell announce the arrival of a new customer and she bustled off to greet them.

"Ah! New Hogwarts student?" He heard her call as he pulled his old robes back over his head and made to follow his mother towards the counter to pay for his new robes.

"Good, good! Well, come on back, young man. I've just finished up another young man now so I will be right back." Madam Malkin greeted the newcomer.

He caught a glimpse of light brown hair on another boy as he pushed back past the rack of robes and the new boy pushed through to the fitting area. Had he been alone he might have said hello but his mother ushered him through.

"I still can't believe you opted to wear those muggle undergarments… how… ghastly." She commented as she pulled out gold to pay for his robes and he leaned against the counter watching the cheerful shopkeeper wrap his robes up and place them in a bag.

He snorted once more, rolling his eyes yet again, "What's it matter what I wear under my robes, mum." a note of obvious distaste for her views in his retort.

"It's a matter of pride. It's embarrassing." She snapped back at him

He had been about to reply back at her when she snapped her fingers.

"We're going now. Wait till your father hears about your attitude." She snapped back before turning around and striding back across the shop floor, the tinkle of the shop bell announcing a new customer just as the pair of them reached the door.

"Oh, excuse me." The man replied, sidestepping to allow them to pass.

"You're excused." Walburga snapped even as Sirius nodded his silent thanks to the man and Madam Malkin. A sour expression on his face over his mother's attitude and words.

Sirius gave the man a sheepish, 'I'm Sorry' kind of look as he passed him, receiving a small smile from the man in the process as he hurried along after his mother.

As they wandered up the street he was treated to a short rant about how he had to be wary of who he associated himself with.

"You can't just be friends with just anyone, Sirius." She remarked as they stepped into Flourish and Blotts and Sirius caught the eye of the blonde girl from earlier (evidently she and her father had found assistance finding the shop) and gave her a small smile causing her to blush softly.

"You are a Black. And as such you have a certain responsibility to uphold the family name in society and that includes who you associate yourself with." She continued as the shopkeeper approached, plastering a false smile on her face.

"Hogwarts?" The man asked.

"Certainly!" She replied, passing over the list of required books as Sirius pulled a book entitled, 'Hexes, Jinxes and Curses that will Surprise your Enemies and Astound your Friends!' from a nearby shelf.

"Advanced magic that one is, young man." The shopkeep nodded at him as he slid it back onto the shelf and shoved his hands deep in his pockets to wait shrugging his shoulders.

"So, are you excited to begin your first year at Hogwarts then?" The man continued as he began pulling books from shelves.

Sirius didn't ask how he knew what year he was about to start - the book list would have given that away. He only shrugged as his mother gripped his shoulder, smiling proudly, "Of course he is! Our eldest you know! I'm certain Sirius looks forward to upholding our family name in Slytherin! Whole families been in Slytherin you know!"

Sirius suppressed a shudder at the thought of being sorted into the house his family had always been in. He really despised the idea considering more dark witches and wizards had been in Slytherin - not to mention he didn't feel as though it would be a good fit with everything he had heard and read about the house. Not that he would mention that to his mother.

"Ah! An old family then are you?" The shopkeep was saying as he began to wrap the books in brown paper.

"We certainly are!" Walburga boasted proudly, pushing her chest out. "One of the Sacred Twenty-Eight! One of the few remaining pureblood families left. It really is sad how few of us remain completely pureblooded." She frowned.

The man smiled politely but something in the way he looked at them made Sirius think the man had other thoughts on his mind. In fact, Sirius was almost positive the man was either half-blood or at several non-pureblooded family members at the very least judging by the way he was now eying Sirius and his mother.

He desperately wanted to shout, "I'm not like her! I don't care how pure your blood is!"

Instead, he smiled and said nonchalantly, "Perhaps I will be sorted into Slytherin, perhaps I won't, Mother. We can't know what the sorting hat will do." A small smirk plastered on his face.

"Quite right, young man. Being part of a specific family doesn't ensure you will be in a specific house. We are all individuals of course!" The man replied with a vague sense of relief on his face - possibly over Sirius' obviously opposing views to that of his mother.

Sirius could see the fury in his mother's eyes, hovering just beneath the surface. For a moment he thought she was going to break character and shout at him for his words but she simply smiled, a forced smile, "We shall see I suppose. Come now Sirius, we best be getting off to get your wand."

This made Sirius perk up noticeably. A wand. He knew he would get one eventually, ever witch or wizard did. But he had been looking forward to his time to be matched to one ever since his eleventh birthday when his mother had insisted they would wait until he got his actual Hogwarts letter.

He had to restrain himself from dashing up the street to Ollivanders as his mother _slowly_ lead the way through the growing crowds in the street. He was so anxious to discover what his wand would be he even forgot to throw a casual, yet pleasant, smile at a pair of young girls about his age. He was intent and focused on getting to Ollivanders. When they finally reached the shop, in a manner that seemed to befit their stature, according to his mother, he wrenched the door open and hurried inside in such a manner that caused his mother to tut at him.

"Sirius, really!"

He didn't care, however, as a hush settled over the shop and he approached the counter. After a moment of the pressing silence, he reached out and tapped the small bell causing the ringing to echo through the shop and his mother to wince at the sound even as the elderly Ollivander suddenly appeared around the corner of one of the long aisles.

"Well good day! Good day! Here to purchase your first wand, young man?"

Sirius couldn't help but thrust his chest out in pride, "Ayup!"

Walburga settled herself on one of the spindly chairs behind him, sitting as proper and lady-like as they would allow and holding her purse on her lap.

Ollivander clapped his hands together, "Marvelous! Wonderful! If you would just step around here then."

He held a hand out, directing Sirius to step to the side of the counter as he pulled a tape measure from the counter. "So, right or left-handed?" He questioned as he set the tape measure to work with a tap of his own wand, causing it to immediately begin by unfurling and measuring how tall Sirius was.

"Right." Sirius nodded as he eyed the tape measure with one eye (it had moved on to measuring the length of his arms now), and the old wandmakers movements with his other eye.

"Naturally…" the man mumbled as he selected a couple of wand boxes, piling them one on top of the other.

"9 inches?... he mumbled to himself. "No… no…"

The man soon disappeared down an aisle with Sirius craning his neck to see after him looking quizzical even as he looked around at his mother who had a rare, knowing, smile on her face and indicated he should face forward as the tape measure began to measure around his waist with a twirl of her finger.

He shrugged and turned around just in time to see Ollivander coming down a set of stairs off to the side of the shop carrying a small pile of wands.

"That will do, I think." He replied with a wave of his hand causing the tape measure to stop measuring between Sirius' nostrils and crumple in a heap on the floor.

"Now. Let's see if we can't find you a wand then, young man." The older man added with a smile as he set the wand boxes down on the counter and carefully unboxed one before handing it to Sirius reverently.

"Twelve inches, Pliable, Dragon Heartstring, Ash."

Sirius accepted the wand with a certain amount of relish that he didn't understand. The moment he touched the wand, however, he dropped it. It was as if he had touched something unclean. Hastily stooping to pick the wand up he used the sleeve of his robe to touch the strip of wood and placed it on the counter with a shake of his head even as he caught his mother shaking her head behind him.

Ollivander meanwhile smiled, "Ah yes, that can happen. The wand chooses the wizard after all."

Sirius chewed his lip nervously as the man carefully opened the next box and handed him the wand within. "Twelve inches, Sycamore, Phoenix Feather, Supple. Give it a wave…"

Sirius accepted the wand, immediately feeling oddly foolish as he waved the wand and nothing happened.

The old wandmaker continued smiling. "We'll get there… try this. Fifteen inches, Ebony, Unicorn Hair, nice and supple…" As he handed him this wand it was with a curious look in his eye. As if waiting with bated breath for Sirius to take the wand.

An eyebrow raised Sirius raised his hand and accepted the wand. Feeling a sort of static electricity the moment his hand got within inches of the strip of jet-black wood that only intensified as he gripped the wand and brought it up above his head. After pausing for a moment he brought it swishing down in a shower of red and gold sparks that danced off the surface of the floor and nearby counter.

"Ah yes! Wonderful. I thought that might be the wand for you… Very peculiar, the length that is."

Licking his suddenly drying lips Sirius cleared his throat. "What's peculiar about the length?"

"Fifteen inches is not a common wand length. Most witches of wizards who have wands longer then about twelve inches tend to have some sort of physical or mental abnormality about them."

"I see…" Sirius replied, even though he didn't really even as he heard his mother slide from her chair and approach.

"Wonderful. How much do I owe you?" She asked rather stiffly.

Ollivander turned his smile from Sirius to his mother, "Thirteen Galleons, fifteen sickles and six knuts please madam."

Looking a little smug, Walburga counted out the coins and handed them across the counter even as Sirius stood admiring his new wand.

"Would you like it packaged up, young man? Or will you pocket it now?" Ollivander asked kindly.

He had been on the verge of answering when his mother answered for him, "I think he is old enough to carry his wand properly. The box won't be necessary." She waved her hand dismissively turning her back on the counter and making to leave. "Come, Sirius."

"As you wish ma'am," Ollivander replied, folding his hands on the counter.

While his mothers back was turned, however, Sirius smiled at the old wandmaker and pointed silently at the wand box to which the man smiled and nodded. Sirius seized the opportunity while his mothers back was turned to take the box and stuff it in the pocket of his robes - his wand stashed in the opposite pocket. It might seem childish to some but he loved to defy his mother wherever he could and if she said he couldn't have or didn't need the wand box. Then he wanted to have it - even if it ended up at the bottom of a sock drawer, never to be seen or used again.

With that, he hurried to follow his mother out of the shop.

"There. Now you're a proper, wand-carrying wizard. Just a few more items to pick up and we can get out of this place." She was saying, a slight sneer on her face as they passed a small family, pausing to read through their son's supply list.

"Why must you look down on _everyone_ , mother? Not everyone is beneath us you know…" Sirius piped up, unable to stop himself in the mood she was putting him in. A mistake, as it turned out because his mother suddenly whirled around on the spot and seized him by the collar of his robes, eyes wide.

"Now see here, Sirius! I have put up with your shenanigans long enough but I will not accept your back talk! You _will_ learn your proper place in wizarding society. You are a _Black_ , you will learn that - that means you _are_ better then others. Blood purity is a sacred thing nowadays." She paused, allowing Sirius to sneak a peek over her shoulder to see that some were starting to stare.

"We will continue this at home. Now come!" She snapped at him.

In an absolutely foul mood now, he followed her with an absolutely sour expression on his face as they finished their shopping.

The school year couldn't come quickly enough. The sooner he was out from under her thumb in that household, the sooner he could be free to be himself. Perhaps even express it in the house he wound up sorted in…


	5. Remus - Train ride and Getting Sorted

"Come on now Remus! We've got to get going if we're going to make the train!" he heard his father yell up the stairs after him.

Remus had been packed for weeks, and he had checked and re-checked his new equipment in his trunk about five times over. But when September first finally arrived where was he? Curled up on his bed, clutching at his stomach.

Of course, it wasn't just his stomach that was bothering him. His very bones ached and he itched all over. Why? Because they were five short days away from the full moon and his first transformation as a Hogwarts student.

Remus desperately wanted to bound out of bed and rush downstairs to go off to school but the aching in his bones and his fear kept him where he was.

"Come on Remus! It'll all be okay!" Lyall shouted up after him once more.

Remus grimaced but soon rolled himself to a seated position, casting a gaze of longing at his trunk full of supplies just waiting for him to go off to school. Taking a deep breath he stood, a hand still held across his stomach, and seized the handle of his new trunk and began dragging it towards the bedroom door.

He had just reached it when it burst open revealing his father, and closely behind his mother.

"Oh, there you are! Are you ready? What's wrong?" The flow of insistent questions sputtered out of the older man's mouth.

"Just… just nervous I guess," Remus replied, attempting a sort of half smile through the shaking he felt to the bone.

"That's not it what's…" His father began before breaking off as he caught sight of the calendar Remus kept attached to the wall. Ticking off the days until the full moon. His mouth began to form an 'O' shape as realization dawned on him.

"Shit… I'm sorry buddy. I completely forgot how close to the full moon we were getting! Did you want to postpone your trip to school and arrive after your transformation?" His concerned gaze fell on Remus' face just as his hand on his shoulder.

Remus shook his head, "No, you're right. It'll be okay. I still have a few days till the full moon and then I can just go to the place Professor Dumbledore told us about for my transformation. I wanna get sorted with the rest of my peers."

Lyall smiled, gripping his shoulder. "That's fair. It's an experience everyone should be able to go through, in my opinion. Did you want anything for the pain? I'm sure I have some elixir here somewhere…"

"I'll just get some chocolate on the train, dad. I'll be okay. Didn't you say we had to get going?"

The older man suddenly leapt into action, "Yes! We do! Here, I'll take your trunk."

Remus relaxed his grip on the handle of the trunk as his father took it from him and after giving his mother a kiss and a hug goodbye, he followed his father out to the families car.

The trip to the station was relatively uneventful. Lyall drove briskly and Remus sat with his head pressed against the cool pane of glass separating him from the rest of the world.

 _I hope people like me…_ he thought even as they pulled into the lot at the train station.

"Alright. Here we go, ten minutes to spare!" Lyall exclaimed unclicking his seatbelt and turning to face Remus with a smile. "Are you okay, Remus?" He asked, his voice showing concern.

He lifted his head from the window pane and turned to face his father and nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine, let's get going!"

Lyall looked at him with a smile, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder, "You're growing up far to fast, you know that Remus?"

He smiled in return, "I'll try not to grow up too fast, dad."

"Good. Now, let's get you off to school." Lyall responded, checking his watch.

The pair rushed inside, after grabbing an abandoned trolly from nearby and stashing Remus' trunk on it, and walked briskly towards the wall that would admit them to platform 9 ¾.

As the approached the correct gateway Lyall had slowed down. Now, Remus may not have actually been through the gateway before - but he had read enough about magical gateways to know generally how platform, 9 ¾ worked and so eyed his father.

"Dad? What are you wa-" he began before he was cut off by his father holding up a finger to silence him.

"Just waiting for that group of muggles to move aside. The platforms just there," he pointed in the direction of the nondescript wall, speaking in a hushed tone.

Remus nodded his understanding and leaned casually against his trolly as they awaited the group of muggles to move on. When they had his father urged him on with slight pressure on the small of his back and they walked calmly towards the barrier, stepping through it in one fluid motion to hear the sound of a train whistle on their appearance on the other side.

Remus was suddenly overwhelmed by being in close proximity to so many other children, people really, and so close to the full moon. He could smell things that normal people couldn' normally smell and it was almost intoxicating to the wolf within him. He forced himself to chew on his lip, which made him appear even more nervous.

That look changed to one of awe as they pushed his trolly through the crowd and he caught a proper look at the gleaming scarlet engine for the first time. His pale, slightly sweaty, face just stared at the gleaming train as his father lead him through the crowd searching for an empty compartment as he whispered hushed instructions.

"We'll find you a nice, empty compartment so you can curl up and sleep. If anyone asks you're just getting over a bout of flu - don't forget to head up to the hospital wing as soon as you can, before the full moon." He hissed at him to which Remus nodded silently.

Finally, right at the end of the train, they found a nice, empty compartment. Lyall helped him stash his trunk in the racking above the seats before he followed him, briefly, off of the train. He quickly found himself folded into a tight embrace by the older man.

"Be careful Remus. Abide by the rules Dumbledore has set out for you and do not tell anyone about your… condition… and it will all be okay. Oh, and of course study hard!" He whispered as he pulled back, gripping Remus firmly by the shoulders.

Remus smiled softly as he hugged his father back and nodded as they pulled apart. "I will dad. Don't worry. Nothing bad will happen, I swear it."

Just then the scarlet engine let out a long, shrill whistle - a man was moving along closing the compartment doors.

"Hurry! Get on the train." Lyall replied, ushering him onto the train.

Remus leaned out the window as the train began to move away. "Love you, dad! It'll all be okay - you'll see!"

The older man simply smiled and in the blink of an eye had disapparated.

Remus pulled his head back in and turned to enter his compartment - intent on having a nap just as his father had suggested (he really did feel rather lousy) only to find that another boy was settling himself in.

Figuring perhaps he could settle himself into a corner while the boys back was turned Remus sidled into the carriage and slid into a seat.

He had just slid the compartment door closed when the other boy turned around.

"Oh. Hi. Thought this compartment was empty. You don't mind sharing do you?" The boy asked, sweeping hair behind his ear - he was rather good-looking, from an objective point of view, he made Remus feel slightly shabby in comparison.

Remus simply nodded as he slid himself into a corner seat.

"Great. Thanks." The boy replied, following suit opposite him with a bit of a flop, immediately sliding into a bit of a slouch.

The two of them had just relaxed, well in Remus' case turned to stare out the window in nervous anticipation, when the compartment door slid back again.

He turned to look, catching movement across from him as the other boy looked up as well, in time to see a boy with untidy black hair and glasses enter dragging a trunk behind him.

"You guys mind? Everywhere else is full." He asked, nose slightly in the air but looking generally kind.

Remus nodded once more and the boy across from him replied, "Sure."

"Excellent!" the boy at the door replied, tugging his trunk inside and lifting it into the rack before flopping in the seat next to Remus and holding out his hand in an introduction for him to shake.

"Potter, James Potter." He said with a smile.

Remus tentatively and briefly shook his hand politely, "Remus."

The boy across from him nodded sharply, "Black. Sirius Black, he mimicked James' speech patterns with a bit of a smirk on his face.

 _Where had he heard that voice before…?_ Remus wondered before James was speaking again.

"So, you guys excited?"

Remus nodded silently and Sirius shrugged, "Suppose so. Gets me away from my mum for a year at least."

James nodded thoughtfully, "Black… Ah, yes. I think I've heard about your mum. Don't blame you mate, from what I've heard."

Sirius snorted in reply, "Not surprised."

Remus felt a bit out of the loop as the conversation progressed but simply leaned his head against the cool window glass as he listened to the two boys' conversation.

"So. What house you two headed to? If you could have the choice I mean."

Sirius shrugged again, "My whole family have been in Slytherin. You?"

James gawped, "Huh, I thought you were alright. Gryffindor!" He added, pulling an imaginary sword from his side and holding it aloft before sitting back down.

Sirius shrugged again before sitting back up, a mischievous grin on his face, "Yeah, well maybe I'll break the tradition."

James laughed as he turned to Remus, "How about you Remus? Where would you go if they gave you the choice?"

Remus shrugged, chewing his lip again, "I dunno. Maybe Gryffindor, like my dad."

"That would be cool," James replied before his eyes suddenly clouded with concern which caused a fresh wave of worry to wash over Remus. "Mate, you okay? You don't look so hot."

Remus turned to look at his reflection in the window, seeing James and Sirius' faces to see his pale face reflected there. Turning back to the two boys he shrugged, "Think I'm starting to catch a bout of the flu is all."

"Huh. Maybe you should check yourself into the hospital wing when we get to the school - after we get sorted of course." James replied. 

Remus nodded, "Probably will."

James looked like he was about to say something when there was a rap on the compartment door before it slid open and a witch pushing a trolly poked her nose inside the compartment, "Anything from the trolly, dears?"

James leapt to his feet so fast it startled Remus, "Oh! I've been saving my pocket money all summer for this!" He clamoured on excitedly as he pulled gold from his pocket and stepped out into the hallway to look over the treats. "Want anything, mates?"

Sirius got to his feet to stride over and look over the options even as Remus pulled the gold his father had given him for the occasion out, "It's okay, I've got gold."

James smiled and shook his head, "Put your gold away, mate. This is on me." He jingled the, obviously, reasonably full bag of gold at him as he beckoned Remus over.

Still holding the coins in his hand, Remus ambled over, "I'll take half a dozen chocolate frogs I think." He said to the trolly witch.

"And I'll take… let's see… Oh, go on another half a dozen chocolate frogs, three boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans, three pumpkin pasties, some liquorice wands annndd thre- no four peppermint toads." James rambled off even as Sirus plucked a couple cauldron cakes from the offerings.

As the witch handed Remus his chocolate frogs he had been about to hand over his gold to pay for them when James pushed his hand away, arms already laden with his own purchases. "Really. I got this mate. And here, take a couple peppermint toads. Mum always swears by them when I'm feeling ill." He pressed the peppermint toads into Remus' arms before he could protest and handed over his own gold for the lot of treats.

"Cheers, mate," Sirius replied holding his cauldron cakes aloft as he shuffled back to his own seat.

"No problem, mate," James replied as he dumped his armful of treats into the seat and Remus closed the compartment door before sliding back into his seat. "Oh, and feel free to help yourselves to anything I bought."

Remus ripped off the packaging on a peppermint toad and bit into it. It didn't abate what he was feeling entirely but something about the chocolate and peppermint did ease the nausea he'd been feeling for the past half an hour. Of course, Remus knew that nothing but getting his transformation over and done with for the month ould make him feel better - and he despised and dreaded the thought even as he had it.

"So, what are you anyways mate? Pureblood? Half-blood? Muggle-born?" James was asking him as he munched on one of his pumpkin cakes. Sirius was watching him closely, already having devoured his cauldron cakes.

"Half - Mum's a muggle, dad's pureblood," Remus replied munching on a chocolate frog even as he flipped the card over (Merlin again).

"Nice, of course, I don't much care about blood purity. So long as you're a good bloke that's good enough for me." James replied before turning to Sirius as the latter snorted even as Remus shrank in his seat _If only they knew… they wouldn't be sitting here with me._ He thought bitterly. "What is it? I say something funny, mate?"

Sirius laughed, "Your families philosophy is so much more appealing then my mum and dads. The whole lot of my family, well most of them, are blood purity maniacs. I hate it. Actually… if your surname is Potter we're likely related somehow - distantly."

James nodded, "I mean. Aren't all of the pureblooded families linked somehow? There aren't many of us left."

"Touche, mate. Touche." Sirius replied as he snagged one of James' pumpkin pasties and bit into it.

For the rest of the journey the three boys, well really James and Sirius mostly but Remus was pressed into joining in as the other two made him feel accepted (however warily of course), sat discussing all manner of things. From what houses they would prefer to be in and what ones might make them leave. To discussions on the recent rumours of a new dark wizard since Grindelwald rising to power.

Even as night fell and the boys began to pull their new robes from their trunks to change before they arrived, Remus had never been made to feel more accepted then the way James and Sirius made him feel. Even in the wake of the full moon, and with his abundance of caution, he was starting to feel liked - like he had friends for the first time since he'd been bitten.

"Ugh. I hate ties…" Sirius suddenly grumbled as Remus tied his own around his neck.

"I know, right? So annoying and restricting." James agreed.

Remus shrugged as they turned to look at him, "It's not so bad."

James shook his head, "Your crazy, Remus."

He smiled, "Yeah. I might be a bit. But at least I get to attend Hogwarts." he rambled off before freezing at his own words.

Sirius' head snapped up, "What do you mean at least you get to attend? Why wouldn't you be able to?"

"Oh, I just mean that we weren't sure if I would be able to attend cause my mum is ill and dad needs me at home lots." He invented wildly, praying they would buy it.

"Ah." Sirius replied nodding slightly, "Sorry to hear about your mum."

He nodded in response, "She has good and bad days but dad insisted I get my education."

"Well, I for one am glad you're both attending!" James exclaimed, throwing an arm around his and Sirius' necks.

Remus smiled and Sirius turned to mess up James' hair, "Yeah, it's been great to meet you both already." He replied.

Ducking out from under James' arm Remus approached the window, "Oh look. Is that Hogwarts in the background?"

"What? Oh hey, yeah!" James replied after fixing his hair and pushing Sirius off of him - Sirius was cackling like mad.

The three of them spent the remainder of the journey divvying up the remaining sweets between the (and swapping chocolate frog cards) and packing them away in their trunks. By the time the train was slowing and pulling into Hogsmeade station the boys had already exited the compartment and were hanging out one of the windows waiting for the train to stop so they could disembark.

Once the train had finally stopped Remus followed his new friends and clambered down the train steps after James with Sirius right behind him to hear a loud voice calling, "Firs' years this way! Firs' years follow me!"

When Remus looked around it was to see a giant of a man, he had to be at least half giant by the size of him, with a thick bushy beard holding a lantern aloft.

"I guess we follow him?" James remarked, jerking his thumb in the direction of the man.

Remus nodded and Sirius shrugged, "Yeah, guess so."

The boys walked towards the man followed by a group of other timid looking first years. James suddenly started smoothing his hair back, trying to straighten it. When Remus looked around he spotted a girl who must have been their age judging by the fact she was clumped with the rest of the first years, with brilliantly red hair and almond-shaped green eyes. She was pretty but it was all Remus could do not to laugh at James like Sirius was doing.

"Is this all of ye?" The giant man remarked. Remus looked around him at the small crowd. "Righ' follow me to the boats."

The trooped after him in silence, James looking remarkably subdued after Sirius' remarks about his attempts to impress the redhead.

They hadn't walked too far before they came to the edge of a lake where a small fleet of lantern-lit boats sat waiting for them.

"No more then four to a boat!" The giant called out suddenly.

Relieved to be able to sit back down again (he had been feeling like collapsing for the past five minutes) Remus lead the way towards one of the boats that a short, stocky boy had just clambered into amid James' silent protests and head jerks towards the redhead's boat.

"You're no fun, Remus." James pouted as he climbed in after him. Sirius was still rolling with laughter as he practically fell in beside James.

The moment the last student had clambered into the boats the small fleet lurched suddenly and began to glide slowly across the surface of the water. As they moved Remus turned to his left as he felt the boy next to him shift in his seat. He looked nervous so he gave him a smile.

"Hi. I'm Remus. What's your name," He introduced himself.

"P-Peter. Peter Pettigrew." The boy stammered before falling silent.

With his wolf hearing, Remus could hear the way the boy's heart hammered against his ribs and opted to drop the conversation attempt. Instead, his eyes opened wide in amazement as they passed through a curtain of ivy under an overhang and were treated to their first look at Hogwarts.

There was really something to be said about viewing the school for the first time at night. The way the many fires, candles and torches illuminated the many windows was simply mystical. It was immense, Remus could count four, no at least five turrets within its walls (at least) and there was something to be said about the way the lawns sloped upwards to meet the great front doors.

And then he saw it, a wild looking tree positioned ominously close to the forest, swaying against the breeze as if it was alive. A shiver ran up his spine as he wondered if this was the concealed entrance to the place he would go to transform in four days time.

A nudge from James broke him out of his thoughts and he realized they had reached the shore and everyone was clambering out of the boats.

"Remus? You with us, mate?" His new friend questioned him.

He smiled, "Yeah, yeah. Just a little starstruck I guess. This place is… amazing!" 

He glanced at Sirius who shrugged, although a slight smile graced his features, "It's alright I guess."

"Whoa. Does nothing excite you, mate?" James replied, perplexed.

A smirk spread across Sirius' features that made Remus sense he was up to no good, "Oh… I can think of a few things."

"Ooook then," James replied as the three boys hurried to catch up with the giant. (The boy Peter had disappeared from Remus' view)

They soon reached the great, oak front doors and the giant pulled them open for them to reveal an elderly, yet strong looking, woman in a black conical hat.

"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here." She spoke in a sharp tone.

"Pleasure Profes'or McGonagall," Hagrid replied with a slight bow before sliding into the entrance hall.

Once Hagrid had slipped into the entrance hall Professor McGonagall, as Hagrid had called her, beckoned them with a hand, "Follow me please."

Looking at James and Sirius with raised eyebrows, Remus followed after the professor at a light jog before coming to a halt in a small room just off to the side of the entrance hall. Once inside the professor addressed them, "You will wait here until the rest of the school has been seated. Now before you can join your classmates you must first be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be like your family. Any triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup." She paused to run her eyes over each of them before continuing, "I will be back momentarily to collect you. I _suggest that_ you smarten yourselves up before that time." Her eyes lingered for a moment on a few students before she spun on her heel and left the room closing the door with a snap.

"Well I know where I'm headed," James proclaimed proudly, puffing out his chest slightly.

"Oh? Where's that?" The voice of the red-haired girl piped up curiously.

"Gryffindor." James replied with a smile, "You?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I'm muggle-born, I've never heard about Hogwarts until I got my letter."

" _Your_ muggle-born?" James asked her shocked.

"What's it matter to you?" A pale-faced boy with curtains of black hair demanded, stepping up to defend the girl.

James shrugged as Remus looked on awkwardly, "Nothing. Just didn't think she was is all."

"Come on Lily, you don't wanna associate yourself with such an arrogant toerag as this." The boy mumbled to the girl, Remus only caught it because of his wolf's hearing.

James appeared not to have caught the comment because he had already turned back to Sirius. "Ugh, When's she coming back? I'm starving." James was saying.

Sirus laughed and appeared about to say something when the door opened.

It was Professor McGonagall. She smiled as she told them, "We're ready for you, follow me."

The group of first years followed her out of the side room in a lump, many of them shaking as much as Remus was (although he suspected not for all of the same reasons that he was shaking). As they approached the entrance to the great hall the professor organized them into pairs and Remus wound up standing next to the Lily the red-headed girl. He gave her a faint smile even as James kept turning his head to look back at them.

This stopped, however, as soon as the doors to the great hall open and they began to troop inside.

Remus had to force his jaw to stay where it was lest he looked like an idiot with his jaw hanging open. He heard Lily whisper, "It's so pretty!" beside him, however.

"It is." He whispered back, glancing to his left at her for a moment before looking back up at the front where they were heading.

It was a short walk that seemed to take ages as he felt the eyes of his fellow students boring holes in the back of his neck. He couldn't help but be paranoid thinking that they were all about to figure him out for what he was and send him packing before he was even sorted. As he kicked his drying lips, however, they arrived at the front and files along in front of the head table facing the other professors.

Once they had all assembled and a hush fell over the crowd of students behind them.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward carrying a tightly wound scroll and an old patched looking hat which she set upon a stool.

Remus looked at the tattered old hat, perplexed, and judging by the looks on James and Sirius' faces they were as well.

"What the-" he began before a rip near the brim of the hat suddenly opened, bursting into song:

 _A thousand years or more ago,_

 _when I was still quite new,_

 _lived the founders of our noble school,_

 _their names still quite well known:_

 _There was Gryffindor from wild moor,_

 _Hufflepuff from across the valley broad._

 _From glen came fair Ravenclaw,_

 _And shrewd Slytherin from fen._

 _This daring, clever, kind and cunning lot,_

 _Hatched a daring plan,_

 _To educate young sorcerers,_

 _Thus Hogwarts school began._

 _Each of these four,_

 _gathered close to them,_

 _Those students most like themselves,_

 _Outside and in,_

 _The bravest and courageous,_

 _Did Gryffindor embrace._

 _While cleverness and wit,_

 _Ravenclaw did value best._

 _The Shrewd and cunning Slytherin,_

 _Did take those of great ambition,_

 _Power and ambition being prized above the rest._

 _The kind, loyal, hard-working Hufflepuff,_

 _did gather all the rest._

" _I'll take the lot, and teach them just the same"_

 _Said she and just she did with delight._

 _This went on for many years,_

 _Each happy with their lot._

 _Until one day,_

 _It was brought up,_

 _How to pick the worthy ones,_

 _when they were dead and gone._

 _Twas' Gryffindor who found the way,_

 _As he whipped me off his head._

 _These noble sorcerers,_

 _Did stuff some brains in me,_

 _So I could pick instead._

 _So try me on,_

 _Don't be scared,_

 _I've never yet been wrong._

 _I'll sort you into where you ought to be!  
_

As the hat finished its song, Professor McGonagall stepped forward, unfurling her scroll as she did so.

"When I call your name you will step forward, I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses."

"Avery, Nathen!" She called.

A small boy with a pointed face swung his arms as he stepped forward and she placed the sorting hat on his head.

The sorting hat sat there for precisely ten seconds before it yelled, "Slytherin!" Avery pulled the hat off before rushing towards the screaming green and silver clad table.

"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called and Sirius walked forwards with a bit of a smirk.

Remus watched as the hat sunk down over his friend's eyes and he sat there for a good five minutes before the hat practically screamed, "Gryffindor!"

A cursory glance at the Slytherin table showed shock and amazement on many of the faces there even as Sirius rushed off to join the red and gold clad table on the other side of the hall.

"Evans, Lily!" McGonagall called again and Lily stepped forwards - confident but still nervous looking.

She sat slowly on the stool as the hat was lowered over her eyes. She sat so long that Remus watched as she twisted her hands in her lap before the flap near the brim opened wide and called, "Gryffindor!" And she ran off to join Sirius who shook her hand across the table.

Just as he turned back to face the front Professor McGonagall called, "Lupin, Remus!"

Now shaking from head to toe, and not just from the proximity to the full moon, he timidly shuffled forward and sat down on the stool. As he chewed his lip Professor McGonagall slipped the sorting hat on his head and he felt it slid down to cover his eyes so he was staring at the inside of the hat.

" _Ahhhh... "_ it whispered in his head. _"I see why you're nervous young man, yes it's all here in your head. But you shouldn't be, for I do see the bravery you project every single day. For that reason, I cannot see any place better then- Gryffindor!"_

He heard the hat shout the last word to the hall and after shakily pulling the hat from his head and placing it back on the stool he raced off to join Sirius and Lily at the Gryffindor table - high fiving Sirius as he sat down next to Lily.

"Bloody good show mate!" Sirius grinned broadly.

The sorting hat continued to shout out names in varying frequencies as different students stepped forward. "Macdonald, Mary" and "Pettigrew, Peter" became Gryffindors, a big thick looking boy by name of Mulcibar a Slytherin and Adrian Percy a Hufflepuff before Potter, James was called.

James swaggered to the stool to put the hat on his head and it had barely ruffled his hair when "Gryffindor!" was called.

James practically raced to sit down next to Sirius who clapped the loudest.

"Snape, Severus" was called and sorted into Slytherin, Remus noticed Lily's smile fell a little as her, obvious, friend went off to join the Slytherins and was clapped on the back by a prefect sitting there. Finally as "Stebbins, Andrew" joined the Ravenclaw table Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and moved the stool and sorting hat off to the side before taking her place at the head table.

That was when Professor Dumbledore stood, spreading his arms wide until a hush fell over the chattering crowd once more.

His eyes twinkling he smiled and said, "To our new students welcome! And to our old hands, welcome back! I sincerely hope we all can join together to make new friends, study hard and have fun! For now, however, why don't we _tuck into_ this magnificent feast?!"

And just like that, at the words 'tuck in' the tables were suddenly groaning with the platters and plates of food that had appeared suddenly upon them.

Even still feeling ill, Remus began to fill his plate full of everything he could reach and he watched as Sirus piled his plate high with food. Laughing at his friend's gluttony he began to eat. Each bite was like no other. Would he have preferred a nice, rare steak at that point in the month? Most definitely. But the chicken, potatoes and ham were magnificent nonetheless.

He knew that he would have to report to the hospital wing soon so that he could be escorted to wherever Dumbledore had set up for his transformations but until that time he intended to make the most of his time.


	6. Sirius - Defying Family Traditions

Sirius rolled over under his covers as he woke up on September the first. _Today is the day_ , he thought to himself as a small smile spread across his face. Today was the day he would show just how different from his family that he was - he could feel it in his bones.

The sound of sizzling bacon and cooking eggs soon roused him from his stupor and he had to smirk a little. After the "muggle boxers" incident his father had given him a stern talking to about the importance of "upholding the family honour" and insisted he destroy the garments. It was only after he pointed out that come September first he, and whoever took him to the station, would need muggle garments to avoid breaching the international statute of secrecy that he had been allowed to keep them - and purchase a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for the journey.

And so, it was with great satisfaction that - that morning as he rolled out of bed he tugged a new pair of blue jeans, and a strange graphic t-shirt bearing some sort of slogan on it instead of a pair of robes. For once in his life, he had long since packed away his new equipment and school robes in his trunk and he took great pride in pulling on the muggle garments - staring into the full-length mirror that hung on the inside of his wardrobe with relish. The jeans were a tad tight in the groin area _how did Muggles do this?_ but otherwise, they were quite comfortable.

After taking a moment to admire his abnormally long wand, which he had been keeping on his bureau beside his bed to admire every so often, he tucked it safely away in his new trunk. After seizing the handle he drug the new trunk towards the door and wrenched it open, coming face-to-face with his brother, who by the looks of it, had been about to knock.

Smirking a little at the look on his brother's face he ploughed forward, forcing him to back up before closing his door with a snap.

"Hey, Reg. What's up?" He asked casually.

His brother looked at him with wide eyes, "Why are you wearing those clothes already? We don't leave for a couple of hours. Mum and dad won't be happy." He argued as Sirius pulled this trunk past him and began to descend the stairs.

"Regulus, Regulus, Regulus. When you reach _my_ age, you'll realize that sometimes you have to defy mum and dad just a bit." He replied, still smirking and making an emphasis on the word 'my' as if he was more then a year older than his brother.

He laughed at the expression on his brothers face as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

After stashing his trunk on its end near the door he returned to the basement kitchen, pushing the door open and striding in with confidence to sit down at the table.

There was silence for a moment as his family stared at him over their bacon, eggs and biscuits before Orion, his father, broke that silence.

"Sirius Arcturus Black. Just what do you think you are wearing in my house?" He demanded, his expression livid.

Sirius, who had just been served his own breakfast by Kreacher, glanced up at his father confidently. "Oh? You like? It's my travelling clothes for the first day of school."

He actually pushed his chair backwards, stood and took a small spin to show them off before sitting himself back down.

"I thought we told you-you could wear those… garments closer to the time we are to leave…" The older man began.

"I'm certain you did say that. However, I thought it seemed a tad redundant to wear one thing for breakfast only to change into a whole other outfit soon after. Oh! My trunk is by the door, by the way. So, how are we getting to Kings Cross station?" He argued logically before smiling pleasantly, considering the family didn't own a car because they preferred to travel magically.

His father stared at him, he could feel his eyes boring into his skull as he began to eat, for a solid two minutes before answering.

"I've requested a Ministry car to take us to the station." He replied with an obvious note of distaste.

"Well that sounds wonderful," he replied, in a slightly cheerier voice to his normal tone - purely in an attempt to irritate his father knowing full well the man was more concerned with his attending Hogwarts (and being sorted into Slytherin, although Sirius had no intention on following through there if he could help it) to do anything more then sigh in exasperation at him.

Without further adieu, Sirius picked up his fork and began to eat his breakfast - thoroughly satisfied with how the morning was progressing for once.

By the time Regulus appeared, looking thoroughly uncomfortable in the muggle clothes that had been bought for him to accompany Sirius to see him off to school.

He smirked at his brother as he finished off his breakfast and leaned back in his chair. "Reg! You look fashionable." He smiled at his brother taking in the jacket, dress slacks and sweater vest he had chosen to wear.

"Little formal though, don't you think?"

Regulus snarled slightly across at him as he tugged at the collar of his shirt and tucked into his own breakfast. "I don't see why we have to wear this nonsense… it's so restricting." He grumbled as he chewed his eggs.

Sirius chuckled, "Uh duh… ever heard of something called the International Statute of Secrecy?"

Regulus looked as though he was about to reply back when Orion cleared his throat, startling both of them. "That's enough, both of you. If you're finished your breakfast, Sirius, you best make sure you have everything packed before we leave."

He had been about to argue but by the look on his father's face he opted not to and instead pushed his chair back with a loud screeching sound. "Yeah… sure."

With that he swept his hair off his face and pushed his way out of the kitchen, heading for his bedroom. Once there he flopped down on it, staring at the ceiling for a moment before rolling over on his side and opening his bureau drawer. From it, he pulled out a clipping from a magazine and rolled over on his back to stare at it.

It was a clipping from a muggle magazine of a muggle motorbike. The contraptions had always fascinated him and so he had nicked the magazine from a rubbish bin when out one day - hiding the clippings in his bureau drawer away from the prying eyes of his parents and brother.

He must have been laying there, flipping through clippings and an old magazine for quite a while because before he knew it there was a rap on the door and he was hurriedly stuffing the magazine he had been reading back into its drawer.

"Yeah?" He called out and the door cracked open to reveal Regulus peering in,

"Dad says it's time to get going."

"Excellent." He replied, swinging his legs off the bed and standing up rubbing his hands together, "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Regulus arched his eyebrow at him, "Huh?"

He shook his head, "Never mind, little brother. Let's go."

With that he pressed forward, forcing Regulus to back up out of the way, and pulled his bedroom door tightly shut, "And I better not come home to find you've been in my stuff either, Reg."

"I'd never-" the younger boy began before Sirius cut across him.

"That is a load of crap and you know it Reg. Just stay out you hear?"

Regulus exhaled forcefully, blowing the hair off his own face, "Fine, whatever."

"Good."

That was when the deep, angry sounding voice of their father called up the stairs, "Sirius! Regulus! Get down here or we will miss the train!"

Without further adieu, and a slight smirk at his brother, he hurried down the stairs and skidded to a halt in the entranceway next to where he'd left his trunk. He assumed the driver of the car had already loaded it into the boot. "Present and accounted for, sir!" Sirius replied giving a mock salute as Regulus came up behind him.

"Good. Let's get this unpleasant mingling with muggles over with…" Orion grumbled, he too tugged at the collar of his three-piece suit complete with tie.

It was a relatively uneventful ride across the city towards King's Cross station. Sirius stretched out in his seat, arms above his head, relaxing as they drove and only idly listening to his father rant about how filthy and unclean the muggles were. He had listened to one too many of these lectures in his life to even bother actually paying attention to any of it. Regulus, on the other hand, was listening to his parents with rapt attention - something that made Sirius roll his eyes when no one was looking.

Once they reached the station the driver dashed across the street and loaded Sirius' trunk onto a trolly before tipping his hat to Orion and Walburga, climbing into the driver's seat once more and pulling away.

Sirius barely glanced at his family before seizing his trolly and beginning to march across the lot towards the front doors, his parents and brother struggling to keep up.

By the time he reached the doors and glanced back, they had caught up to him. "Well, let's get in there then. Get through the barrier and away from these people." His father replied to his look.

He shrugged and pushed his trolly through the doors, leading the way towards the barrier that lead the way to platform nine and three quarters. Once he had reached the point where platforms nine and ten met he paused only to be urged forward by his father, "Go on. Straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten - don't stop."

He nodded, taking a deep breath before striding purposefully forward staring at the barrier between the platforms with confidence. As he walked, he sped up so that by the time he was passing through the barrier it was at a light jog.

Blinking as his eyes adjusted he was suddenly able to hear the chattering of voices of other Hogwarts students and their parents (probably siblings too, he thought). As he rounded the corner he took a deep breath, _this was it! He was finally headed off to Hogwarts!_

As he felt his family arrive behind him he glanced back. Regulus looked positively jealous at all the new and old students and their families chattering and loading the train.

"Well, Sirius. Shall we get you on the train?" Orion stated, already sounding more comfortable with his surroundings.

"Yeah. Looks pretty full already, perhaps the rear of the train will have seats." He replied, suddenly serious.

His father nodded and he set off through the crowds looking at the train for signs of an empty, or at least near empty, compartment. Most of the compartments were already full to bursting by the looks of it, it wasn't until the very last compartment on the train that he found one that appeared empty.

"Found one!" He called back to his parents, who were a few paces behind him with Regulus.

Turning the trolly he approached the train and then with his brothers help heaved his trunk up the steps of the train.

"So… are you excited about heading off to school?" Regulus asked him as they heaved the trunk into the racking.

Sirius shrugged, "It should be fun yeah."

"I can't wait till I get to go next year," Regulus replied.

"I bet you can't." He replied straightening up, "Well… I guess so long, little bro?"

Regulus nodded, "Yeah. So long." He turned to leave before pausing and turning back, "You gonna say bye to mum and dad?" He arched an eyebrow at Sirius.

He shook his head, "We _both_ know they don't care if I say goodbye."

Regulus shrugged, "Whatever. See ya." He turned away again and departed the train. Meanwhile, Sirius turned back to open his trunk and began rooting around for his money pouch. He stopped and turned around when he heard the compartment door close behind him. A boy with light brown hair and fairly evident scratch marks across his face was standing there.

"Oh. Hi. Thought this compartment was empty. You don't mind sharing do you?" He asked, sweeping hair behind his ear.

The boy nodded as he slid himself into a corner seat.

"Great. Thanks." He replied, stepping down off the seat and flopping into a seat opposite the boy - he looked a little rough around the edges, his light brown hair a bit messy and the scars across his face standing out.

As the other boy turned to look out the window, he stared across at the other trunk in the rack, its owner sitting beneath it he surmised. It was the sound of the compartment door that caused him to look back down and over as a boy with untidy black hair and glasses entered dragging a trunk behind him.

"You guys mind? Everywhere else is full." He asked, nose slightly in the air but looking generally kind. _Pureblood, gotta be_ , he thought to himself even as he nodded, "Sure."

"Excellent!" the boy with the untidy black hair replied, tugging his trunk inside and lifting it into the rack before flopping in the seat next to the sickly looking boy and holding out his hand in an introduction for him to shake.

"Potter, James Potter." He said with a smile.

The boy tentatively and briefly shook his hand politely, "Remus."

He nodded sharply, "Black. Sirius Black, he mimicked James' speech patterns with a bit of a smirk on his face.

"So, you guys excited?" James asked, settling back into his seat.

Remus nodded silently and Sirius shrugged, "Suppose so. Gets me away from my mum for a year at least." He wrinkled his nose at the thought of his parents.

James nodded thoughtfully, "Black… Ah, yes. I think I've heard about your mum. Don't blame you mate, from what I've heard."

He snorted in reply, "Not surprised."

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Remus leaning his head against the window. The boy did look rather sick...

"So. What house you two headed to? If you could have the choice I mean." James asked, pushing his glasses up his nose a bit.

Shrugging again he casually answered with a note of displeasure, "My whole family have been in Slytherin. You?"

James gawped, "Huh, I thought you were alright. Gryffindor!" He added, pulling an imaginary sword from his side and holding it aloft before sitting back down.

He shrugged again before sitting back up, a mischievous grin on his face, "Yeah, well maybe I'll break the tradition."

James laughed as he turned to Remus, "How about you Remus? Where would you go if they gave you the choice?"

Remus shrugged, chewing his lip, "I dunno. Maybe Gryffindor, like my dad."

"That would be cool," James replied before his eyes suddenly clouded with concern, "Mate, you okay? You don't look so hot."

He watched Remus turn, presumably to look at his reflection in the window. After a moment he turned back to them and he shrugged, "Think I'm starting to catch a bout of the flu is all."

"Huh. Maybe you should check yourself into the hospital wing when we get to the school - after we get sorted of course." James replied. 

Remus nodded, "Probably will."

James looked like he was about to say something when there was a rap on the compartment door before it slid open and a witch pushing a trolly poked her nose inside the compartment, "Anything from the trolly, dears?"

James leapt to his feet so fast it seemed to startle Remus, "Oh! I've been saving my pocket money all summer for this!" He clamoured on excitedly as he pulled gold from his pocket and stepped out into the hallway to look over the treats. "Want anything, mates?"

He got to his feet to stride over and look over the options even as watched as Remus pulled out a leather satchel, presumably with gold in it, "It's okay, I've got gold," he mumbled.

James smiled and shook his head, "Put your gold away, mate. This is on me." He jingled the, obviously, reasonably full bag of gold at him as he beckoned Remus over as Sirius leaned against the compartment door browsing.

"I'll take half a dozen chocolate frogs I think," Remus said to the trolly witch as he got closer.

"And I'll take… let's see… Oh, go on another half a dozen chocolate frogs, three boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans, three pumpkin pasties, some liquorice wands annndd thre- no four peppermint toads." James rambled off even as Sirius made up his mind and plucked a couple cauldron cakes from the offerings.

As the witch handed Remus his chocolate frogs, Sirius watched him hold out his hand about to hand over his gold to pay for them when James pushed his hand away, arms already laden with his own purchases. "Really. I got this mate. And here, take a couple peppermint toads. Mum always swears by them when I'm feeling ill." He pressed the peppermint toads into Remus' arms before he could protest and handed over his own gold for the lot of treats.

"Cheers, mate," He replied holding his cauldron cakes aloft as he shuffled back to his own seat and sat down.

"No problem, mate," James replied as he dumped his armful of treats into the seat and Remus closed the compartment door before sliding back into his seat. "Oh, and feel free to help yourselves to anything I bought."

Remus ripped off the packaging on a peppermint toad and bit into it. Watching him thoughtfully for a moment he thought maybe the peppermint toad might have started to help. He still looked sick but maybe a bit better.

"So, what are you anyways mate? Pureblood? Half-blood? Muggle-born?" James was asking Remus as he munched on one of his pumpkin cakes. Sirius kept watching Remus closely, already having devoured his cauldron cakes.

"Half - Mum's a muggle, dad's pureblood," Remus replied munching on a chocolate frog even as he flipped the card over.

"Nice, of course, I don't much care about blood purity. So long as you're a good bloke that's good enough for me." James replied before turning to Sirius as he snorted even as Remus shrank in his seat "What is it? I say something funny, mate?"

He laughed, "Your families philosophy is so much more appealing then my mum and dads. The whole lot of my family, well most of them, are blood purity maniacs. I hate it. Actually… if your surname is Potter we're likely related somehow - distantly."

James nodded, "I mean. Aren't all of the pure-blooded families linked somehow? There aren't many of us left."

"Touche, mate. Touche." He replied as he snagged one of James' pumpkin pasties and bit into it.

For the rest of the journey the three boys, well really James and Sirius mostly sat discussing all manner of things. From what houses they would prefer to be in and what ones might make them leave. To discussions on the recent rumours of a new dark wizard since Grindelwald rising to power. To:

"I bet you my _wand_ is longer than your wand," He smirked.

"Not a chance, mate " James replied smirking back.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Remus shift in his seat. "You got something you wanna add, Remus?" He smirked across at his other new friend.

"No," Remus replied.

"Bet you… five galleons," he egged him on.

"You're on!" James replied as he looked at Remus who held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Keep me out of it."

"So that brings us back to you then James. How long is your wand then?" He remarked, thinking of his own.

"Eleven Inches," James replied proudly.

He couldn't hold it in any longer and suddenly burst out laughing, clutching his sides as he rolled with laughter.

"Erm… you okay mate?" Remus spoke up uneasily.

Taking a couple deep breaths he composed himself and sat back up and said in as straight a voice as he could, "Fifteen inches."

James' jaw dropped and Remus just stared at him. "What?"

"You have got to be kidding…" James replied warily before repeating himself, "You have to be kidding…"

"Nope." He replied standing up and rustling around in his trunk before pulling out his wand and showing it to them.

James stood up and after rummaging around in his own trunk pulled his wand out and held it up against his own before hanging his head and fishing in his pocket for the five galleons and slapping them into Sirius' outstretched hand.

"Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much." He replied cheekily.

It wasn't long before night fell and the boys began to pull their new robes from their trunks to change before they arrived. Sirius was already beginning to feel more at home with Remus and James then back at home with his family - he could tell they had for more in common then he ever had with his direct relatives.

"Ugh. I hate ties…" he grumbled as he watched Remus tied his own around his neck with apparent ease.

"I know, right? So annoying and restricting." James agreed.

Remus shrugged as he and james looked up at him, "It's not so bad."

James shook his head, "Your crazy, Remus."

Remus smiled, "Yeah. I might be a bit. But at least I get to attend Hogwarts." he rambled off before paling slightly - oddly.

Head snapping up he looked at Remus curiously, "What do you mean at least you get to attend? Why wouldn't you be able to?"

"Oh, I just mean that we weren't sure if I would be able to attend cause my mum is ill and dad needs me at home lots." Remus replied.

"Ah." He replied nodding slightly, not certain if he believed the story or not, "Sorry to hear about your mum" he added.

Remus nodded back at him, "She has good and bad days but dad insisted I get my education."

"Well, I for one am glad you're both attending!" James exclaimed, throwing an arm around his and Remus' necks.

Remus was smiling as he twisted and turned to mess up James' hair, "Yeah, it's been great to meet you both already." He replied.

Ducking out from under James' arm, he watched Remus approached the window, "Oh look. Is that Hogwarts in the background?"

"What? Oh hey, yeah!" James replied after fixing his hair and pushing Sirius off of him as he cackled and rolled with laughter in his seat.

The three of them spent the remainder of the journey divvying up the remaining sweets between the (and swapping chocolate frog cards) and packing them away in their trunks. By the time the train was slowing and pulling into Hogsmeade station the boys had already exited the compartment and were hanging out one of the windows waiting for the train to stop so they could disembark.

Once the train had finally stopped he clambered down the train steps after James with Remus hot on his heels in time to hear a loud voice calling, "Firs' years this way! Firs' years follow me!"

Looking around, and thankful for his height to see over the heads of other students, he caught sight of a half-giant of a man beckoning them towards him.

"I guess we follow him?" James remarked, jerking his thumb in the direction of the man.

Remus nodded and he shrugged, "Yeah, guess so."

The boys walked towards the man followed by a group of other timid looking first years. James suddenly started smoothing his hair back, trying to straighten it. Arching his eyebrow he looked around him and just managed to spot a girl who must have been their age judging by the fact she was clumped with the rest of the first years, with brilliantly red hair and almond-shaped green eyes. He snorted with laughter and resumed his efforts to mess his new friends hair back up.

"Don't think it'll get any neater there James." he remarked before the giant-man's voice boomed again.

"Is this all of ye?" The giant man remarked.

"Righ' follow me to the boats."

They trooped after him in silence, James looking remarkably subdued after Sirius' remarks about his attempts to impress the redhead.

They hadn't walked too far before they came to the edge of a lake where a small fleet of lantern-lit boats sat waiting for them.

"No more then four to a boat!" The giant called out suddenly.

He followed Remus towards a boat where a stocky boy had just clambered into, dragging James along by the elbow amid his silent protests and head jerks towards the redhead's boat.

"You're no fun, Remus." James pouted as he climbed in after him. Sirius was still rolling with laughter as he practically fell in beside James.

The moment the last student had clambered into the boats the small fleet lurched suddenly and began to glide slowly across the surface of the water.

"Hi. I'm Remus. What's your name," He heard Remus say to the boy next to him

"P-Peter. Peter Pettigrew." The boy stammered back before falling silent.

They soon rounded a bend, sailing through a curtain of ivy, and were treated to their first look at Hogwarts.

There was really something to be said about viewing the school for the first time at night. The way the many fires, candles and torches illuminated the many windows was simply mystical. It was immense, Remus could count four, no at least five turrets within its walls (at least) and there was something to be said about the way the lawns sloped upwards to meet the great front doors.

The little boat bumped gently against the shore and he waited as the stocky boy got out before hopping out himself as James nudged Remus.

"Remus? You with us, mate?"

Remus smiled, "Yeah, yeah. Just a little starstruck I guess. This place is… amazing!" 

He caught Remus' eye and shrugged, although a slight smile graced his features, "It's alright I guess."

"Whoa. Does nothing excite you, mate?" James replied, perplexed.

A smirk spread across his features, "Oh… I can think of a few things."

"Ooook then," James replied as the three boys hurried to catch up with the giant.

They soon reached the great, oak front doors and the giant pulled them open for them to reveal an elderly, yet strong looking, woman in a black conical hat.

"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here." She spoke in a sharp tone.

"Pleasure Profes'or McGonagall," Hagrid replied with a slight bow before sliding into the entrance hall.

Once Hagrid had slipped into the entrance hall Professor McGonagall, as Hagrid had called her, beckoned them with a hand, "Follow me please."

Looking at James and Remus with equally raised eyebrows, he followed after the professor at a brisk pace before coming to a halt in a small room just off to the side of the entrance hall. Once inside the professor addressed them, "You will wait here until the rest of the school has been seated. Now before you can join your classmates you must first be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be like your family. Any triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup." She paused to run her eyes over each of them before continuing, "I will be back momentarily to collect you. I _suggest that_ you smarten yourselves up before that time." Her eyes lingered for a moment on a few students before she spun on her heel and left the room closing the door with a snap.

"Well I know where I'm headed," James proclaimed proudly, puffing out his chest slightly.

"Oh? Where's that?" The voice of the red-haired girl piped up curiously.

"Gryffindor." James replied with a smile, "You?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I'm muggle-born, I've never heard about Hogwarts until I got my letter."

" _Your_ muggle-born?" James asked her shocked.

"What's it matter to you?" A pale-faced boy with curtains of black hair demanded, stepping up to defend the girl.

James shrugged as he eyed the boy with a hint of malice "Nothing. Just didn't think she was is all."

With that the boy and red-head turned away from them and Sirius turned to converse with his friends.

"Ugh, When's she coming back? I'm starving." James whined.

He laughed and was about to say something about his level of patience when the door opened.

It was Professor McGonagall. She smiled as she told them, "We're ready for you, follow me."

The group of first years followed her out of the side room in a lump, many of them shaking while Sirius strode forward with purpose. As they approached the entrance to the great hall the professor organized them into pairs and Sirius wound up standing next to James who kept turning his head to look back at the red-haired girl

This stopped, however, as soon as the doors to the great hall opened and they began to troop inside.

Even Sirius looked around in awe at his surroundings, taking a particular interest in the enchanted ceiling.

It was a short walk that seemed to take ages as he felt the eyes of his fellow students boring holes in the back of his neck. He met several students gazes and couldn't help but smirk as each of them dropped their gaze from his.

Once they had all assembled and a hush fell over the crowd of students behind them, Professor McGonagall stepped forward carrying a tightly wound scroll and an old patched looking hat which she set upon a stool.

He eyed the patched, frayed looking old hat with mild curiosity and confusion.

"What the-" he began before a rip near the brim of the hat suddenly opened, bursting into song:

 _A thousand years or more ago,_

 _when I was still quite new,_

 _lived the founders of our noble school,_

 _their names still quite well known:_

 _There was Gryffindor from wild moor,_

 _Hufflepuff from across the valley broad._

 _From glen came fair Ravenclaw,_

 _And shrewd Slytherin from fen._

 _This daring, clever, kind and cunning lot,_

 _Hatched a daring plan,_

 _To educate young sorcerers,_

 _Thus Hogwarts school began._

 _Each of these four,_

 _gathered close to them,_

 _Those students most like themselves,_

 _Outside and in,_

 _The bravest and courageous,_

 _Did Gryffindor embrace._

 _While cleverness and wit,_

 _Ravenclaw did value best._

 _The Shrewd and cunning Slytherin,_

 _Did take those of great ambition,_

 _Power and ambition being prized above the rest._

 _The kind, loyal, hard-working Hufflepuff,_

 _did gather all the rest._

" _I'll take the lot, and teach them just the same"_

 _Said she and just she did with delight._

 _This went on for many years,_

 _Each happy with their lot._

 _Until one day,_

 _It was brought up,_

 _How to pick the worthy ones,_

 _when they were dead and gone._

 _Twas' Gryffindor who found the way,_

 _As he whipped me off his head._

 _These noble sorcerers,_

 _Did stuff some brains in me,_

 _So I could pick instead._

 _So try me on,_

 _Don't be scared,_

 _I've never yet been wrong._

 _I'll sort you into where you ought to be!  
_

As the hat finished its song, Professor McGonagall stepped forward, unfurling her scroll as she did so.

"When I call your name you will step forward, I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses."

"Avery, Nathan!" She called.

A small boy with a pointed face swung his arms as he stepped forward and she placed the sorting hat on his head.

The sorting hat sat there for precisely ten seconds before it yelled, "Slytherin!" Avery pulled the hat off before rushing towards the screaming green and silver clad table.

"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called and standing up straight and determined not to be put in Slytherin he walked forwards with a bit of a smirk.

He sat on the stool with an air of finality and as the hat lowered over his eyes his last thought before the hall was blocked from view was, _Please don't put me in Slytherin._

" _Ah! Not Slytherin eh? Ah yes, yes. I see it here in your head. Loyal and full of adventure. No, no, Slytherin would not be the place to put you - it would not. A clever mind though… You could be… but then… Ah, I'm certain we shall see so better be_...Gryffindor!" it shouted the last word so loud his ears were ringing as he pulled the hat off of his head.

As he got up he gave the Slytherin table a cursory look and was not surprised to see shock and amazement on many of the faces there. He smirked slightly as he rushed off to join the red and gold clad table on the other side of the hall receiving many back slaps and "attaboys" from his new housemates.

Grinning ear to ear he looked up as Professor McGonagall called, "Evans, Lily!"

He lazily watched the red-haired girl being sorted even as he gave a thumbs up to James, who was still standing to wait. _Man, some these people take a while to sort…_ he thought to himself even as the rip near the brim opened and yelled, "Gryffindor!"

As Lily joined the table, sitting opposite of him he reached across the table to shake her hand, "Sirius. Pleasure." He introduced himself even as Professor McGonagall called, "Lupin, Remus!" Causing him to turn to watch his friend being sorted. He really did look peaky… pale even. And the full moon was approaching... _I wonder…_ he pondered briefly before the hat yelled, " _Gryffindor!"_

Holding out a hand he high-fived Remus. "Bloody good show mate!" He grinned broadly.

The sorting hat continued to shout out names in varying frequencies as different students stepped forward. "Macdonald, Mary" and "Pettigrew, Peter" became Gryffindors, a big thick looking boy by name of Mulciber a Slytherin and Adrian Percy a Hufflepuff before Potter, James was called.

James swaggered to the stool to put the hat on his head and it had barely ruffled his hair when "Gryffindor!" was called.

James practically raced to sit down next to Sirius who clapped the loudest, his claps echoing even in the loud hall.

"Snape, Severus" was called and sorted into Slytherin - there was something about that pale-faced boy that Sirius did not like. Finally as "Stebbins, Andrew" joined the Ravenclaw table Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and moved the stool and sorting hat off to the side before taking her place at the head table.

That was when Professor Dumbledore stood, spreading his arms wide until a hush fell over the chattering crowd once more.

His eyes twinkling he smiled and said, "To our new students welcome! And to our old hands, welcome back! I sincerely hope we all can join together to make new friends, study hard and have fun! For now, however, why don't we _tuck into_ this magnificent feast?!"

And just like that, at the words 'tuck in' the tables were suddenly groaning with the platters and plates of food that had appeared suddenly upon them.

Practically salivating over the scrumptious food that had appeared, he piled his plate high with food. He ignored Remus laughing at his gluttony and dug into his food.

After most people were leaning back in their chairs, starting to chatter away, the remnants of the entrees suddenly disappeared to be replaced with more desserts then even Sirius had ever seen in his life.

He was still full to bursting with supper but he did manage to squeeze in an eclair, a pumpkin pasty and a small helping of treacle tart. By the time everyone had finished eating he was beginning to feel rather tired.

He lazily listened to Dumbledore's speech about remaining united and his announcements about the forbidden forest being out of bounds, and how the list of banned objects could be found in Mr Apollyon Pringle's office.

Soon enough he was being ushered from his seat by the Gryffindor Prefect and he, James and Remus found themselves, Peter, Lily and Mary MacDonald following the Prefect around through the hallways until they came across one that dead-ended at the portrait of a large woman in pink.

"Password?" She asked a hand across her chest.

"Fizzing Whizbee." The Prefect answered causing her to swing forward on her hinges revealing a hole through which to climb.

Taking the lead, after the Prefect, he stepped with relative ease up into the portrait hole, catching out of the corner of his eye James offering Lily a hand in - to which she refused and he looked dejected.

As they assembled in the common room the Prefect directed the girls to the left and the boys to the right. The three of them chatted all the way up the spiralling staircase about everything they had experienced thus far and almost as soon as they had changed into pyjamas and crawled into bed they were out like a light.


	7. Remus - A Sickly Beginning

Settling into his new dormitory on the first night was a pleasant experience for Remus. He knew in only a day or two time he'd be curled up as a wolf, biting and scratching at himself in the absence of humans to bite and so to be able to slide beneath the covers of his new four-poster bed with the other three first-year boys was simply heaven. He was out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow and woke to the sound of a bird chirping out on the window ledge.

Pushing himself to a seated position he rubbed his eyes of the sleep still clinging to the corners of his eyes before finding the gap in the hangings and pushing them aside. What he found was the shorter boy, Peter he was pretty sure his name was. Bent double over his own trunk pulling out his robes - new Gryffindor ties had been delivered in the night.

His shuffling to get out of bed must have startled Peter because the boy suddenly stood up and looked over at him curiously before smiling faintly.

"M-morning." Remus greeted, stifling a yawn even as he stood up himself and stretched.

"Morning," Peter whispered back before bending back into his trunk.

Thinking that perhaps he was just shy Remus gave the other boy a smile in return before moving around to pull his own robes out. As he did he had to suppress a slight snort of laughter as Sirius' bed came into view. He was laying splay-legged, kiddy corner across his bed wearing quite obviously nothing but muggle boxer shorts. When he peeked around the corner at James' bed it was to a boy laying on his stomach, pillow over his head, a groan emanating from underneath.

Smirking lightly he tugged his robes out of his trunk, feeling a little woozy, as he watched James finally come out from underneath his pillow tousle-haired.

"Tired James?" He called over even as he pulled his robes over his head - which only served to further show just how pale he was becoming.

There was an incoherent reply before he heard a shuffling sound of James moving around on his bed and then the sound of a pillow being thrown. He had half believed the pillow to be headed in his direction until he heard a yelp from the general direction of Sirius' bed and a loud, "Oi!"

"Hey, if I have to get up you have to as well." James was saying a Remus edged around the corner of Sirius' bed to see the back of Sirius' head looking in the direction of James' bed - James looking slightly downright mischievous.

Sirius snorted and threw the pillow back at James who ducked around the corner towards his trunk causing it to land on the opposite side of the bed. Remus ducked back around and rummaged through his trunk for his trainers just as Sirius decided to hop out of bed and look for some clothes.

"Geeze, Mate. You don't look so hot." James' voice echoed over to him as he pulled his shoes on. "Maybe you should go check into the hospital wing?"

Knowing full well he would have to do that soon but that he had at least two days before it was necessary he shrugged. "I won't lie. I don't feel that swift, but I should be okay enough to make it through at least a day of classes… hopefully. Don't wanna miss out right away after all."

He gave his new friend a feeble sort of smile, hoping he had bought it and that he wouldn't be forced to further explain himself.

James nodded slowly, "Well, maybe a bite to eat will help."

"Yeah, hopefully." He replied with a slight nod even as out of the corner of his eye he watched Sirus tugging his own robes on.

"You really have no shame do you, Sirius?" He asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Hmm?" Sirius asked lazily, looking over at him through half-lidded eyes.

He chuckled putting a hand to his face, "Nothing. Let's go get food."

"Food? Hm? What?" Sirius suddenly perked up looking disgustingly well groomed with little effort - Remus was jealous but he tried to hide it.

The jealousy must have shown on his face because James was suddenly looking at him funny. "You okay, mate? You don't look so well."

He rubbed both hands up and down his face before coming up grinning, "Yeah, I'm hungry. Shall we go down to the great hall for food?"

James smiled as he put his glasses on, "Hell yeah. Let's go. Ready Sirius?"

Sirius smirked at them both, "Food? Yeah, let's go."

That's when Remus had a thought and spun on the spot to look for Peter. He was still standing awkwardly next to his trunk, watching their interactions. He grinned over at Peter, "What do you say, Peter, was it? Wanna go get some breakfast with us?"

Peter, who had been chewing his lip, nodded slowly. "That… that would be nice," he whispered.

"Good. Then it's settled. Let's all go get some food." Remus replied clapping Peter on the back and turning to face James and Sirius who were looking at them awkwardly.

"Remus? You know this kid?" James asked dubiously.

"He was in the boat with us. I figured we could all hang out. If… if that's okay?" He bit his lip, had he just done something inexcusable? Would he lose his two new friends now? All of this ran through his mind in the space of time it took James and Sirius to look at one another and then turn back to him smiling broadly. The smiles brought relief to his heart and soul and he sighed with relief.

"Yeah! Course he can. Peter was it?" James responded with a grin.

Sirius nodded and shrugged non-committedly, "Eh, whatever. Can we go get food now? I'm starving."

Laughing Remus clapped stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder, "Yeah. Let's go."

When they stepped into the great hall ten minutes later it was to find it moderately full of their fellow students either having something to eat or lulling around waiting for class (Remus assumed someone would be around to handout timetables at some point).

As he slid onto a bench about halfway down the Gryffindor table, Peter beside him and James and Sirius directly opposite, he looked up and down the table at his fellow Gryffindors chattering away or picking at bits of porridge, eggs or bacon.

"You know. I could get used to all of this." He found himself proclaiming even as he began to help himself to some porridge and strips of bacon - he really was feeling queasy and he highly doubted food would help his particular ailment but a good show was always necessary with his condition.

James chuckled across from him as he loaded some pancakes, sausages and bacon on his plate even as Sirius loaded his own plate up once more. "I know, right? I mean, it's not like I exactly starve at home or anything but there's something particularly extravagant about meals here."

Smiling he dug into his breakfast even as he spied Peter loading his own plate up with a smile.

As they ate, the four of them, well mostly Remus, James and Sirius but Peter piped up on occasion, discussed everything from what they were most looking forward to (Remus was particularly keen to begin Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons), to what they were most disappointed about so far (James couldn't seem to help but complain about first years not being allowed their own brooms).

And as they ate, Remus felt more and more grateful that he had finally found friends with which he could hold on to - assuming, of course, they never discovered his condition for he was certain that they would dump him the moment he was discovered (not to mention have to leave the school). But nonetheless, he felt happier then he had felt since he had been bitten, happy to be able to converse with kids his own age about silly things like school, broomsticks and whether or not Apollyne Pringle had ever seen the sun for any significant length of time.

He was having such a good time that he didn't even notice Professor McGonagall moving down the table handing out sheets of paper (that turned out to be class timetables) until she was right beside him.

"Mr Lupin, you aren't looking very well. Perhaps you should get yourself up to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey." She looked at him with arched eyebrows that confused him for a moment before he remembered Dumbledore had told the staff about his condition.

Smiling faintly, and still feeling a tad queasy but better with food in his stomach he gave a little dismissive wave. "I don't feel _too_ terrible just yet, Professor. But I can assure you if I take a turn for the _worse_ within the next day or so I shall do _exactly_ that." He held her gaze for a moment to indicate he understood and was aware of the exact date. "However, I wouldn't want to miss the first day of lessons!"

She pursed her lips together for a moment before nodding slightly her understanding, "Understood, Mr, Lupin. I am just looking out for your own well being as well as those you may infect should you be contagious, you understand?"

He nodded, looking serious, did she really think he wanted to infect anyone with this curse? He hoped not, that was the furthest thing from his mind. As the professor moved away to hand out more timetables his eyes moved up to the head table where he found Dumbledore watching him. The man must have noticed him watching him, however, for he nodded slightly and turned to converse with a professor to his left and watched him no more.

It was all he could do not to sigh in frustration. Did they think he was stupid? He had dealt with this condition for six years now. He had long since learned when he had to be locked away for the safety of others. He knew that he would feel increasingly ill the closer to the full moon he got. But he also knew that he was only dangerous the night of the full moon itself. So his plan had always been to present himself in the hospital wing the day before the full moon so as to give the matron enough time to sneak him down to wherever it was he was to transform in safety. He just wished other would understand he knew the risks, that he knew what he must do to keep himself and his fellow students safe.

Suddenly James was waving a hand in front of his face. "Oh, Remus… you there mate?"

Blinking to focus on something other then James' hand he leaned back in his seat away from him. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a little lost in my own world I suppose," he invented wildly.

"I'll say. You had quite a scowl plastered all over your face. You sure you're okay?" Sirius piped up, arching his eyebrows at him over his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm all good. Say, should we head to class soon?" He remarked checking his watch in an attempt to change the subject.

He wasn't certain it had worked with the way Sirius was looking at him but the boy simply shrugged and took a long draught from his goblet. "I dunno. Little early isn't it?" He commented as he set the goblet down a little forcefully on the table.

Shrugging Remus made to swing a leg off the bench. "I mean, we still need to run up to the dormitory for our books."

"Ugh, right. Books. Forgot about those. Yeah, yeah, I suppose so." A pause as he too swung his leg off the bench, nearly kicking the boy next to him with a smirk, "You're really no fun there Remus. Being all responsible and shit." He was grinning madly across the table at Remus, however, who smiled ruefully.

"Someone's gotta be. Come on Peter, let's go get our stuff." He added with a smile at the shorter boy.

He held the smile on his face until Peter stood up with a nod after watching the boy jump as if startled slightly. Turning to his two other friends, _friends what a concept_ he pondered, he smiled at them and chuckled, "Alright. Shall we?"

The next couple of days were fairly smooth sailing as far as attending classes went. Remus was wholeheartedly enjoying himself for the first time in years. He had friends, he was attending school, he was learning so many amazing spells, charms and potions. Everything could have been classified as just perfect. If it wasn't for the cramps, sweating and shakes that permeated right down to the bone that is.

As it was, when he woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of James and Sirius yammering on about something or another that he couldn't understand through the pain, thick curtains and the sound of their and his own heartbeats thundering in his ears. As his eyes opened and light filtered in through a gap in the hangings he rolled over and groaned holding his stomach and smothering his face into the pillow.

Somewhere above all the noise and pain, he heard James and Sirius' voice falter and the sound of shuffling footsteps coming nearer. There was a pause and the sound of the hangings could be heard being pulled back.

"You okay, mate?"

It was James.

He hesitated for a moment. _I have to go to the hospital wing. It's to close. But will they suspect? They aren't stupid… Stop it! Just get them to help you, you have to go now!_ His mind ran a mile a minute before he turned his head on the pillow to face the side of the bed. Sirius and James' concerned faces came into view.

"You look. Like shit. If you don't mind me saying, mate." Sirius commented with a slight grin before frowning in concern. _Could he suspect?_ He panicked for a moment.

He groaned, "I feel like shit." He paused before adding, "Either of you guys mind helping me up to the hospital wing? Clearly, this thing isn't getting any better." _There… that should dissuade any suspicions they may have…_ He reasoned to himself.

Eyebrows still knitted together in concern both boys nodded. "No problem, Mate," Sirius replied for the both of them.

With their help, he heaved himself out of bed and pulled a dressing gown on. From there, and with an arm slung over James and Sirius' shoulders, once Sirius had pulled some proper clothing on, of course, shoulders they walked towards the door - Peter hurrying ahead to pull it open for them to sidle through.

From there it was simply a matter of navigating the corridors in the relative direction of the hospital wing, to which Remus had already inconspicuously mapped out under the guise of finding his way to classes. Once they had arrived, Sirius practically kicked the door to open it when Peter didn't move fast enough to open it, Madam Pomfrey came storming into the room - she looked about to tell them off when she spotted Remus' pale form (He felt about ready to pass out after their trek).

"Oh, dear. Put him here, boys." She replied sharply as she pulled back the covers of a nearby bed.

James and Sirius helped him to collapse into the bed before pulling back and moving to the foot of the bed.

"He gonna be alright?" James questioned leaning against the railing at the foot of the bed as Sirius folded his arms across his chest watching the matron tuck him in.

"Yes, yes. I'm sure he will be fine boys. Now, why don't you tw- three go on outside and enjoy your weekend off." She shooed them away, only taking notice of Peter at the last moment apparently.

James nodded and turned on his heel to leave only making it a couple of paces before turning back to Sirius, "You coming, mate?"

Sirius paused for a moment, still staring down at Remus, he could practically see the gears in his good looking head turning and it made him nervous, before standing upright, nodding at James and turning back to Remus for a moment. "Well, feel better soon, man. We've got plenty of… exploring to do with you." He smirked slightly as he said it and bumped his fist against Remus' shoulder gently.

Smiling feebly up at his friend he nodded, "Yeah. I'm sure I'll feel better in a day or two."

Peter gave him a little wave goodbye, "Oh and let Peter hang with you guys would yeah?" He blurted out as James and Sirius reached the door.

James nodded, "Yeah… sure. Come on Peter."

With that they were gone, the door closed and the hospital wing otherwise empty. Madam Pomfrey stopped making a show of getting him set up and instead stared down at him as if expecting him to say something.

"Wha?" He said, looking up when he realized she was staring.

"Might I ask when you started feeling like this, young man?" She questioned him in her stern voice.

He waved it off, "It's nothing new, ma'am. Just the full moon coming tomorrow night and all I figured I should probably report in."

She suddenly looked up and across the room, squinting for a second. "Oh dear, is that already here?"

"Unfortunately, yes." He replied, scrunching up his face and scratching at his nose.

"Why didn't you report to me sooner! Think about the danger to your classmates and yourself!" She suddenly replied in a panic-stricken voice.

Eyes wide with fear for a moment he gestured with his hands for her to calm down. "It's really okay, ma'am. I don't transform till the night of the full moon anyway. I'm mostly just weak, sweaty, flu-like in the week leading up to it." He paused looking at the dubious look on her face, " _Really_ , I'm no danger leading up to the full moon. I just get a little cranky at times and tend to crave rarer meat a little bit more. I just really didn't want to miss my sorting or the first day or so of classes."

"You've felt like this since term started! My dear, you really should have reported to Professor McGonagall when you arrived! She would have sent you straight up here at once!" She replied, still obviously panic-stricken.

Sighing he ran a hand through his hair, "And would you have denied me the experience of being sorted with the rest of my peers? I haven't had much of a chance for _normal_ activities wizarding children are supposed to have…" He growled slightly as he spoke bitterly. The attitude that he didn't know himself and his condition as well as others without it was beginning to grate on his nerves.

At this she pulled back, hand on her chest looking shocked, "My word!"

"Sorry," he replied hurriedly, "But it's getting downright offensive that everyone seems to think I would ever put anyone at risk of this… condition…"

"We only have your and your classmates best interests at heart Mr Lupin… And there were rules set out that I was assured were explained to you…" She replied, clearly irritated.

"I was told to report to the hospital wing before the full moon. Which I have done. Nothing stipulated I had to report the moment I started feeling ill…" He grumbled back, leaning back in the bed, arms folded across his chest loosely.

It really was beginning to annoy him that he could be trusted to come to school, but not apparently enough to be aware of the full moon (like he'd had to be for several years now) and when he needed to be hidden away for others safety. He may be a werewolf, but he did have feelings, he did want to have some semblance of a life while and where he could.

She looked about ready to argue the point but at the look of his face seemed to think better of it and sighed in exasperation. "So when might I ask is best to confine you?" She asked in a tone that suggested annoyance at his attitude herself.

Sighing he looked at the still rising sun. "Anytime before sunset, tomorrow would likely be safest. That way it's well before moon-rise as well."

He watched as she nodded, still looking anxious about the whole ordeal. "I can't and won't turn without the light of the full moon so you really have nothing to worry about if at say… five or six in the evening? You take me wherever I need to be." He reassured her. After so many years of some trial and error and learning from experience with his parents, he felt confident in this suggestion.

"Hmm…" she mused, arms still folded over her chest.

After a moment in which Remus simply stared up at the matron, willing her to accept the idea, she finally raised her hands in exasperation. "Fine! Fine! Be damned. You'll stay here until said time, however. I will not concede on this point." She looked at him sternly.

He raised his hands in surrender before lettign them fall down to his sides. "No argument there from me, I feel like shi- crap anyways. However…" He paused, was this next request asking too much? He was just a student after all…

"Yes, Mr Lupin?" She asked warily.

"I was just wondering…" He replied, slowly.

"Yes?"

"... if it was possible for a particularly rare piece of meat?" He asked tentatively, chewing his lip, "The… wolf inside me is a bit ornary when hungry." He chuckled a little bit.

"I'm not sure if that- that is it is highly irregular…" She stammered at him.

"-I'm certain something could be arranged in this instance, Poppy." A voice resounded across the ward making Remus look around in alarm.

It was Dumbledore.

Remus blushed faintly, "Sir! I didn't mean to presume…I mean I just..."

Dumbledore raised his hands to silence the tide of explanations. "It's ok Remus. As Madam Pomfrey was saying, this is a highly unusual situation. Certainly never in the history of this school has a werewolf attended." He smiled fondly at Remus even as he blushed and hung his head in embarrassment and shame.

The sound of footsteps and swishing robes greeted his ears and the next time he looked up Dumbledore was standing at the end of his bed. "No offence was intended Mr Lupin, do not worry a thing about it. I am of the opinion that your education is just as important as any students even if special arrangments must be made."

The older man clapped his hands together and looked up at Madam Pomfrey, "Now. Poppy, I do believe this young man could do with some breakfast, the same as any student. And given he is in the hospital wing I should think it only makes logical sense to feed him according to his illness." His eyes twinkled as he winked at Remus.

Remus was still chewing his lip but nodded his thanks, "Th- thank you sir. Really. I never would have been able to come here if not for you. You can trust me, I swear."

"I know I can, Mr Lupin. And I know you know who you can trust with your secret. Now, if that is all I have business to attend to. Feel better Mr Lupin!" And with that, he was gone.

 _What did he mean… I know who to trust with my secret? I'd never dream of telling anyone else… they'd just run away in fear. Not that I'd blame them. He thought glumly._

"Well. I suppose I have a breakfast to rustle up for you then, Mr Lupin. If you would stay in bed and rest I shall be back soon." Madam Pomfrey was saying, a bit of a hurt tone to her voice at being told how to manage her patients, even by the headmaster. After which she walked away, heels clicking on the stone floor.

By the time Sunday morning arrived it was all he could do to roll over on his hospital bed. In the name of Merlin's most revered dress robes, he hated this process with a blinding passion. The whole thing, not just the fact that society would forever shun him. He despised how he was sick for at least a week prior to, he despised the affinity for rare to raw steak and red meat. And most of all it made him shudder, right down to his bones at the thought of the transformation itself.

He was dozing when Madam Pomfrey came to shake him awake at five-thirty that evening. "Mr Lupin… Mr Lupin… it's time to go." She whispered.

"Huh.." He mumbled groggily and incoherently before his mind caught up with his achign body, "Oh… right…"

Once he was properly awake he noted that she had drawn the privacy screens all around his bed. At his confused look she nodded, "So when Mr's Potter, Black and Pettigrew inevitably come to visit you we will have the excuse that you are too ill to take visitors while still allowing other patients as necessary."

He nodded, James, Sirius and Peter had been to visit him a fair number of times over the weekend despite his urging them not to waste their first weekend cooped up with him in a hospital bed. Privately he had welcomed the company from his friends. He thoroughly enjoyed the idea that _someone_ liked him enough to call him a friend and they four of them had sat laughing and joking around until Madam Pomfrey had shooed the others out for the night.

Even as Madam Pomfrey wrapped an arm and blanket around his shoulders as he stood up and began to hurry him through the silent corridors of the castle he was thankful for his new friends. As they exited the great oak front doors, the matron looking around to ensure no one saw them, it struck Remus that he wasn't entirely certain where they were heading. He had an inkling but it was not confirmed until they stood before the great Whomping Willow, its branches thrashing in the light breeze.

Madam Pomfrey withdrew her arm momentarily to seize a long stick on the ground and used it to prod a knot near the base of the tree. The moment she had the limbs of the tree froze and she hurried to guide him forward. Once there he noticed the small opening in the roots.

"In you go, I'll be right behind you." She urged him.

Crouching down he discovered the tunnel started with a short slide. Sitting down he slid down the damp earth, hitting the bottom with a soft thud and gettign to his feet as he heard the matron follow. Once she had the pair of them began to make their way down the tunnel. They walked for what seemed liek at least ten minutes, it was much too dark to see his watch before he saw a faint light from up ahead as the tunnel began to slope upwards. He was soon forced to crawl on all fours, feeling particularly like the wolf he was soon to become suddenly, untl he reached another hole and crawled out from behind a box.

Once the matron had exited behind him she nodded at him. "Okay, this is it. We're here. Professor Dumbledore and I'm certain a few other Professors as well have given this house all manner of enchantments to stop anyone gettign in. The only way in or out is through the tunnel we just came through. I will cover the entrance as I leave to prevent your wolfish self from finding it easily. Good luck, Mr Lupin and I will return for you tomorrow I assume?" She explained.

He nodded, "Yeah, tomorrow after the sun has risen will be safe." He replied. _Good luck? Fat lot that does me, no luck about this whole process… it sucks_. He thought to himself.

She nodded in return before Pulling him into a gentle, reassuring type of hug briefly and turning to reenter the tunnel - making sure to move the box to cover the hole with her wand as she went. And then he was alone.

Considering he still had a few hours until moonrise he decided to explore the house and find himself somewhere to curl up for his transformation.

For an obviously run down, probably haunted, old house it had the marks of once being a grand old house. It had a rather pleasing staircase that crawled up one wall, the railing was loose as he leaned a bit heavier on it then he had meant to and he gingerly pulled back as he climbed the stairs staring at the walls.

There were all manner of faded, old paintings hanging form the walls - some of them askew as if someone had haphazardly stumbled into the wall going down the stairs. Once he reached the landing he stared around at the closed and partly closed doors before choosing one at random, the with the bottom pane on the door busted out as if someone had given it a good swift kick.

As he eased the door open the hinges squeaked and he couldn't help but grimace slightly for no real reason. As he entered the room he cast his eyes around to find an old four-poster bed with moth-eaten, moss green hangings.

"I guess this is as good of a place as any to curl up.." He mumbled to himself moving towards the bed and sitting down on the edge of it, the springs in the mattress giving way to his weight causing him to sink slightly into the mattress. Exhaling he lay back on the bed to stare up at what was left of the canopy to wait for the immense, torturous, twisting, white-hot agonizing pain.

The waiting, honestly, was one of the worst parts of his whole life. Waiting for a torturous transformation that would twist his frail human body into a snarling, vicious werewolf. He shuddered at the thought even as he began to doze off waiting.

He was awoken, several hours later, by a gut-wrenching pain that seared through his abdomen. He groaned, which turned into a growl albeit a human-like one for the time being as he curled up into a ball on the bed clutching his stomach.

"Urghhh... uh…" he moaned before his eyes suddenly snapped open, the pupils changing shape as he did so.

He writhed and twisted on top of the moth-eaten bed as he felt his bones grinding and twisting as his hips reversed direction and shifted into that of a wolf's.

"Ahhhhh!" He screamed in agony as his limbs shook and hair started to sprout all over his body and a tufted tail shot its way out of the base of his spine.

He tried to fight the change, he always did, no matter how futile it was. He despised everything about this change - he just wanted it all to stop. The more he fought it, however, the more the pain increased. Eventually, all the tension was just released all the pain in one, long, loud howl that reverberated off the walls as he made the final change.

Remus Lupin was now a fully fledged werewolf. For probably the millionth time already in his life.

And he hated himself everytime it happened and he lost his rational, human mind for the night.


End file.
